Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, through a statement posted by her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, called for an investigation into the killings that occurred during weeks of protests in Bangladesh. In her first public statement since leaving the country, Hasina expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost and demanded punishment for those responsible for what she described as “terrorist aggression.”

The protests, which began in July over a controversial quota system for government jobs, quickly escalated into a broader movement against Hasina’s administration. The unrest claimed the lives of over 300 people, including students, teachers, police officers and ordinary citizens. As a consequence, Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5, bringing an end to her 15-year rule.

In her statement, Hasina paid tribute to the victims of the recent violence, drawing parallels to her own personal tragedy. She recalled the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh, and 18 members of her family on August 15, 1975. Hasina has often cited this tragedy as a driving force behind her political career. “The very memory that was our lifeline has been burned to the ground,” Hasina said, referring to the destruction of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, which was dedicated to her father’s legacy. She labelled it a “profound insult” towards the father of the nation. 

The former prime minister’s call for justice comes as she herself faces accusations of responsibility for much of the deadly violence. A murder case against her was recently accepted by Dhaka’s chief metropolitan magistrate’s court, and an investigation has been ordered. Other senior members of her administration are also facing legal challenges.

Despite the charges against her, Hasina’s statement strongly condemned the violence and expressed a desire to see those truly responsible brought to justice. She urged the people of Bangladesh to observe National Mourning Day on August 15, which was cancelled as a holiday by the interim government on Tuesday, to remember the assassination of her father and others killed on that date in 1975.