History is rarely kind to political parties that confuse dynasty with leadership, inheritance with legitimacy, and silence with strategy. Bangladesh’s oldest political party, Awami League now stands at precisely such a crossroads. In a stunning and politically catastrophic development, Sheikh Hasina – once the undisputed center of gravity of the party – has quietly stepped away from active politics, effectively handing over control to her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Far from ensuring continuity, this move has plunged the Awami League into a self-inflicted existential crisis, one that threatens not only the party’s survival but also Bangladesh’s already fragile democratic balance.

At a time when most senior Awami League leaders, including former cabinet colleagues of Sheikh Hasina, are either absconding or facing serious criminal charges, Hasina’s withdrawal amounts to an abdication at the worst possible moment. Political analysts almost unanimously describe the elevation of Sajeeb Wazed Joy as suicidal. Joy lacks even basic political grounding, has no grassroots experience, and struggles with Bangla language fluency – an essential requirement for leading a mass-based political party in Bangladesh.

More critically, during Sheikh Hasina’s uninterrupted 15-year rule from 2009 to 2024, Joy displayed no visible interest in politics or party-building. Instead, he remained cocooned within a small but notoriously influential circle that allegedly thrived on corruption, financial manipulation, and abuse of state proximity.

Joy’s name has long been associated with controversial financial dealings. One of the most widely cited examples remains........

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