'Bangladesh Has Problems With India': Muhammad Yunus On Sheikh Hasina, SAARC Revival

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus courted controversy in New York, where he claimed Dhaka's ties with New Delhi are strained because India didn't like last year's student protests that led to the dramatic ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasina. Speaking in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Yunus talked about reviving SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), with Bangladesh serving as a bridge for regional trade and ocean access.

"We have problems with India right now because they didn't like what the students have done," he remarked bluntly, alleging 'fake' reports in Indian media have worsened the tensions. 

"A lot of fake news is coming from India, propaganda that it's an Islamist movement," the Nobel Laureate said. 

US Special Envoy on South Asia Calls on Chief Adviser

New York, September 22: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday said the Interim Government is making comprehensive preparations to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful general election in the first half of February.… pic.twitter.com/pwhlxpJDPv

— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) September 23, 2025

'The Hasina Problem'

He also accused India of providing shelter to Hasina, stating, "India is hosting Hasina, who has created problems...that creates tension between India and Bangladesh."

Since the student uprising in August last year in Bangladesh, New Delhi has, on multiple occasions, flagged concerns over rising anti-India statements and threats to occupy India's northeast in the neighbouring nation. India has also flagged the spike in attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh. However, the Yunus administration has refused to address the concerns, and the relationship has continued to decline.

'SAARC Dreams'

In his push to revive SAARC, Yunus again targeted India, suggesting New Delhi's political resistance has blocked regional cooperation. He made the comments during a meeting with Sergio Gor, the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and the US Ambassador-designate to India.

Yunus said, "SAARC is not working because it doesn't fit into the politics of one country." He also expressed Bangladesh's interest in joining ASEAN, stating that integration with Southeast Asian economies could significantly accelerate the country's development.

The SAARC held its last summit in 2014. The next meeting of the bloc, planned in 2016 in Islamabad, was cancelled following the terrorist attack in Uri, for which India blamed Pakistan. New Delhi has since maintained that Islamabad's support for cross-border terrorism makes SAARC meetings unworkable. 

Though still a SAARC member, New Delhi has shifted its focus toward the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) grouping that excludes Pakistan for regional cooperation. In fact, India even used the BIMSTEC forum to convey its concerns to Bangladesh. 

In his meeting with Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issues of minority protection and suggested that Dhaka avoid "rhetoric that vitiates the environment," weeks after Bangladeshi leader's remarks on the Northeast drew sharp responses from Indian leaders. 

Election Update

In New York, Yunus also stressed that his interim government is making comprehensive preparations to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful general election in the first half of February 2025, giving hope to 126 million Bangladeshi voters after 15 years without a real democratic process.