Sheikh Hasina's dramatic ousting in August 2024 in the wake of violent protests, and her subsequent death sentence announced by the so called International War Crime Tribunal of Bangladesh, have been widely interpreted as marking the end of the Awami League's political dominance in Bangladesh.

Yet beneath the surface of the prevailing narrative demonising Hasina and the Awami League as authoritarian kleptocrats, a resilient network of grassroots support persists, suggesting the party remains far from a spent force in the country's political landscape.

The violent unrest that followed Hasina's conviction including arson attacks, mass shutdowns, and clashes between police and supporters is a clear indicator of the enduring loyalty of a sizable cohort who still identify with the party's legacy.

The parallels between the 2024 upheaval and the 1975 coup that killed Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, are striking. Both moments saw the sudden collapse of a leader that seemed fully in control of the situation only a few days prior, followed by periods of chaos, repression, and the emergence of underground resistance. Since Hasina's flight to India and the interim government's ban on all Awami League activities, the party's leadership has been forced underground. Properties have been seized, leaders arrested, and the party's registration suspended.

Officially, the party has been erased from the political map. Yet reports from inside Bangladesh reveal a different reality. Party workers, many of whom are former freedom fighters or children of those who fought in 1971, continue to operate in secret, maintaining communication networks and providing support to families of detained leaders. Former Members of Parliament (MP) and ministers, now in hiding, report receiving hundreds of calls daily from local workers across nearly all 70 districts of Bangladesh. These connections are not merely logistical, they are rooted in shared history and sacrifice.

According to a report by The Indian Express, former MPs holding senior portfolios in Hasina’s government before her removal have revealed that the party's structure remains intact. Even in exile, Hasina remains a symbolic figure for the party's rank and file, with her voice and guidance still circulating through encrypted messaging groups and clandestine meetings. Leaders communicate through encrypted WhatsApp groups of 30 to 40 members, sharing updates from their respective districts.​

The interim government's attempt to dismantle the Awami League's infrastructure has reportedly only deepened the sense of solidarity among its supporters. The Awami League's survival is sustained by a deep-rooted connection to Bangladesh's rural and urban poor, who see the party as the architect of the country's economic transformation.

Under Hasina's leadership, Bangladesh achieved rapid growth, poverty reduction, and landmark infrastructure projects like the Padma Bridge and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. When the World Bank withdrew funding amid unproven allegations of corruption, Hasina rallied domestic resources.

Even as the party's support has shrunk, especially among the urban middle class and youth disillusioned by lack of employment opportunities, its base in the countryside remains formidable. In districts where the party once held sway, local leaders continue to organise, distribute aid, and maintain networks that can be mobilised at a moment's notice.

As the Awami League is unlikely to be allowed to contest the upcoming national elections in Bangladesh, its call for boycott will affect the voter turnout figures thus showing that a substantial part of the country has been excluded from the democratic process by the interim government’s ban on the party.

Furthermore, while Hasina remains in exile in India, despite an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, India is unlikely to hand her over to the interim government in Dhaka, as doing so will signal to any potential allies India might have across the world that they can't rely on New Delhi for refuge in difficult times.

Even as reports suggest Bangladesh is seeking Interpol's assistance to nab Hasina, it is unlikely to translate into any substantive pressure on India - meaning that like it or not, Dhaka will not be seeing the back of Hasina or the Awami League any time soon.