"Deeply Distressed": Sheikh Hasina Slams Yunus Over Attacks On Hindus In Bangladesh

The interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus actively sanctioned the assaults against minorities, especially Hindus, forcing them to displace and flee, said former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In her first extensive interaction with the international media since her dramatic ouster last year, Hasina delivered a blistering indictment of the Yunus administration, calling it "illegitimate" and "authoritarian" and responsible for the erosion of Bangladesh's democracy and secular fabric.

Speaking to Aditya Raj Kaul of NDTV, Hasina offered a vivid, emotional account of the events of August 5, 2024, and warned that the current political trajectory threatens to push the country toward extremism and instability.

On Student Protests

She described her removal as "a tragic subversion of democracy," claiming that legitimate student protests were hijacked by anti-democratic forces intent on toppling her elected government. As violence escalated, she said it became clear that "the security situation had deteriorated so drastically" that she had no choice but to leave Dhaka. Her departure, she added, was aimed at protecting her family and preventing further bloodshed.

On Her Ouster

Reflecting on the destruction of 32 Dhanmondi - the iconic residence of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh - Hasina called the attack "a barbaric attempt to erase the legacy of our hard-fought battle for independence." The vandalisation of the property, allegedly carried out by mobs with state backing, was, she said, part of a broader agenda to dismantle the spirit of the Liberation War. But she insisted that Bangladeshis would not allow the values of democracy, equality, secularism, and economic emancipation to be extinguished.

On Elections In Bangladesh

Hasina sharply criticised the delay in announcing national elections, calling the Yunus-led administration a regime terrified of facing the electorate. The polls slated for February, she cautioned, lacked credibility: "If they happen, they will be a charade... a rubber stamp for unconstitutional rule." She condemned the banning of the Awami League as a "dangerous precedent" that disenfranchises tens of millions.

On Violence Against Minorities

One of her most serious accusations concerns widespread violence against minorities. Hasina said thousands of Hindus and other minority citizens had been attacked, displaced, or forced to flee, alleging that the state not only failed to protect them but actively sanctioned the assaults.

"I am deeply distressed by the waves of systematic violence that have targeted religious minorities since Yunus seized power. To this day, thousands of individuals, homes, businesses and places of worship have been attacked, and many have been forced to flee. The state has not only failed to protect them; it has actively sanctioned these brutal attacks by denying their very existence," Hasian said.

She linked the surge in violence to the elevation of extremist elements within the new administration: "Yunus made it clear there would be no place for religious pluralism when he staffed his cabinet with extremists and released convicted criminals linked to Hizb-ut Tahrir."

The ousted premier added that the "current administration's alignment with radical factions and known terror organisations is deeply worrying".

"For decades, our government was successful in containing overseas and domestic terror elements that threatened our secular identity and regional stability. Instead, Yunus has elevated these extremists into positions of power and created the conditions for these factions to flourish," she said.

On US Involvement In Her Ouster

On speculation that the United States may have influenced the political transition, Hasina was cautious, saying she had seen "no decisive evidence" of foreign intervention. She suggested that some in Washington had long admired Yunus for his economic work, but that his alliance with extremist groups had eroded that goodwill.

On Relations With India

Currently in India, Hasina expressed gratitude to New Delhi for offering her refuge, saying the relationship is rooted in "deep respect" for sovereignty and shared regional interests. She emphasised that Bangladesh's political future must be determined by its own people, while noting that India would prefer to deal with a leadership in Dhaka that holds "genuine consent of the people".

On The Yunus Regime

Addressing growing Bangladesh-Pakistan engagement under the interim government, Hasina warned that Yunus's approach risks empowering radical factions and undermining regional stability. "For decades, our government has contained terror elements. Instead, Yunus has elevated extremists into positions of power," she said.

Ending on a note of resolve, Hasina reiterated her confidence in the Bangladeshi people's resilience and asserted that the fight to restore democratic order is far from over: "A stable, democratic Bangladesh benefits us all. I believe any country that values democracy will support us in restoring ours."