Sajeeb Wazed, the son and adviser of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, warned on Sunday that supporters of the Awami League would not allow the national election in February to take place if the ban on their party was not removed. He said their protests could grow stronger and might even turn violent.

Wazed spoke to Reuters just a day before a court in Dhaka was set to announce a verdict, televised live, against Hasina. The court is expected to find her guilty on charges of crimes against humanity for the government’s violent crackdown on student protests in 2024. Hasina, who is now 78 years old, has denied all charges and says the case is aimed at targeting her politically.

A United Nations report earlier said that around 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured during anti-government protests between July 15 and August 5 last year. Most deaths were caused by security forces firing on demonstrators. It was the worst political violence Bangladesh had seen since its 1971 independence war.

Bangladesh, with over 170 million people, is a major supplier of garments to global brands. Last year’s unrest badly affected the garment industry.

Hasina has been living in exile in New Delhi since she left Bangladesh in August 2024. Wazed said India was providing her full protection and treating her “like a head of state.” He also claimed the court would definitely convict her and might even sentence her to death. But he said his mother remained safe in India.

Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate heading the interim government after Hasina’s 15 years in power ended, has not commented on the issue yet. Hasina earlier told Reuters that she felt safe in Delhi but stayed alert because her family was killed in a military coup in 1975. She called the current trial a “politically motivated” process.

The Awami League’s registration was suspended in May after the interim government banned its political activities. Wazed said they would not appeal the verdict unless a new democratic government took power with the Awami League included.

Meanwhile, violence in Dhaka has increased. Several crude bombs exploded on Sunday, and more than 30 blasts were reported earlier in November. Buses have been set on fire, and police have arrested Awami League workers for suspected sabotage. Extra security forces have been deployed, and public gatherings have been restricted.

Wazed said he and his mother are in regular contact with party workers. He added that protests across the country are growing and will continue to intensify. Hasina, who once dominated Bangladeshi politics, is now angry and determined to fight back “by whatever means necessary.”