India-educated Wazed, 43, who is largely considered a successor to Sheikh Hasina, though he does not hold any official position, said that both the American and British governments have been quite supportive of the ruling Awami League.
"It appears to be only the US Embassy in Dhaka that is pushing for new elections, but that is driven more by personal relationships rather than any logical policy. For the US to support a party that is allied with Islamic terrorists and is conducting arson attacks on innocent bystanders and atrocities on minorities against a popular party that is secular and has successfully stopped terrorism makes no logical sense," he stated.
He alleged that Jamaat has spent $25 million lobbying in the US alone against these trials. "Who knows how much they have spent in Europe? So what you are hearing is a paid opinion. It is not legitimate criticism," he said dismissing Western criticism.
Wazed is the grandson of Bangladesh's founding father and first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His mother and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the chairperson of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League party, which returned to power in the country for the second consecutive term. The Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League won 232 seats, securing a three-fourths majority in the 10th parliamentary elections on Jan 5 that were marred by the BNP-led 18-party opposition boycott.
This was the third time that Hasina took over as premier in the last two decades since Bangladesh returned to democracy from military rule. Hasina first came to power in 1996 and then defeated Zia in the 2008 elections.
India's policy, said Wazed, was "not to interfere in what was a domestic matter" and "we appreciate it".
Wazed, who is better known by his nickname Joy, insists he doesn't have "any plans to get involved in politics directly this term". He helps manage the Awami League's political activities and says he will continue on his "Digital Bangladesh vision".
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