ThePrint ThePrintPod: 'Awami League desperately needs new leadership. It’s looking for it in wrong places'
Mar 26, 2026
Deep Halder, author and columnist on South Asian politics, unpacks the Awami League’s leadership crisis. He traces recent power shifts, exiles of top figures and a harsh crackdown. He argues the battle is for on-the-ground leadership rather than succession debates. He contrasts in-country resilience with leaders operating from abroad.
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Awami League Lacks On‑Ground Leadership
- Awami League faces organizational collapse with top leaders in exile and limited on-ground presence inside Bangladesh.
- Deep Halder cites leaders clustered in Newtown Kolkata and scattered globally, leaving domestic cadres leaderless and politically sidelined.
Interim Government Cracked Down On Awami League
- After Mohammed Yunus's interim government took power it targeted Awami League: arrests, mob attacks, bans on political activity and the Chhatra League.
- Deep Halder recounts bans and a December 2024 death verdict against Sheikh Hasina and Asadud Zaman Khan Kamal.
Successor Question Misses The Immediate Problem
- The urgent question is who will manage the party inside Bangladesh rather than who will succeed Sheikh Hasina personally.
- Deep Halder stresses a large internal cadre is seeking leadership while many senior figures remain abroad.