- Bangladesh summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner over Sheikh Hasina's media access in India
- Hasina's party called for a nationwide lockdown protesting her trial, causing unrest and violence
- Security tightened in Bangladesh amid protests, with schools online and transport services disrupted
The Muhammad Yunus regime in Bangladesh is not happy with New Delhi permitting the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, to freely interact with the media while unrest gripped Dhaka and other major cities before her trial over last year's protests that left hundreds dead. On Wednesday, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka to convey their concerns over Hasina getting "a platform to spew hatred and advocate terrorist acts inside Bangladesh."
"The ministry reportedly conveyed that harbouring such a notorious fugitive currently under trial for committing crimes against humanity and granting her a platform to spew hatred and advocate terrorist acts inside Bangladesh are unhelpful to fostering a constructive bilateral relationship between the two countries," state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported, quoting sources.
"The Indian diplomat was asked to convey to New Delhi Bangladesh's request to immediately discontinue Hasina's access to media," the report added.
The development came after Hasina, for the first time since her ouster from Bangladesh in August 2024, gave interviews to several Western and Indian media outlets days before her trial for alleged atrocities during her tenure and the protests in August last year.
A special tribunal in Dhaka has announced that the verdict against Hasina, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity involving a crackdown on the student-led protests that ended her 15-year rule, will be delivered on November 17.
Hasina's Interviews
It has been 15 months since Hasina fled to Delhi and has been living at an undisclosed location in India. In an interview with the Indian Express, the former PM said she would love to return to Bangladesh, but for that, Dhaka must hold "free, fair and participatory elections" first.
In another interview with the New Indian Express, Hasina said if given an opportunity, her party, Awami League, will surely participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country. She also accepted the "leadership's responsibility" for the killing of "thousands of citizens" during the mass protest against her government from July 15 to August 5, 2024.
While talking to PTI, she accused the unelected Yunus administration of "endangering ties with India and empowering extremist forces".
Contrasting her foreign policy with that of the current interim government, she said the "broad and deep" relationship between Dhaka and New Delhi should be able to withstand the "foolhardiness of the Yunus interlude". Hasina also thanked the Indian government for providing her refuge and said she was "immensely grateful to India's government and its people for their kind hospitality".
Talking to News18, she dismissed reports suggesting the United States played any role in supporting groups that sought her removal from power and maintained she had "good relationships with successive US administrations". She said there was "no reason to believe" Washington or other foreign powers were directly involved in the country's political developments.
Hasina Effect In Bangladesh
Hasina and her now-banned Awami League party have also called for a nationwide "lockdown" on Thursday in protest against her trial, disrupting day-to-day life in the South Asian country.
Crude bomb explosions and the torching of vehicles have been reported in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh over the past three days, indicating that political chaos is likely to continue in a nation which has a history of political violence. On Wednesday evening, a train and a bus were reportedly set on fire in Dhaka, and a day before, crude bombs went off on the Dhaka University campus.
Amid the unrest and call for protest on Thursday, schools in Dhaka and other major cities switched to online classes and examinations, while public transportation also remained disrupted, with the Yunus-led interim government heightening security across the country.
Denying any role in the violence, the Awami League, in a statement, said, “Now, in an attempt to undermine the success of this democratic movement, the so-called government and its allies are conspiring. They are either committing or sponsoring acts of terrorism and violence themselves, then trying to shift the blame onto the Awami League. There is no evidence that Awami League leaders or activists have been involved in any of the places where such incidents occurred.”
The Awami League's office in Dhaka was also set on fire by rioters. The building was set on fire last year as well after the ouster of the Awami League government.
The interim government has, meanwhile, deployed forces in several cities, including Dhaka. At least 17000 Dhaka Metropolitan Police personnel, along with other security forces like the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), have been deployed in Dhaka and other parts of the country to maintain law and order.
No vehicle movement towards Jamuna, the state guest house which functions as the official residence of the chief adviser of the Interim Government, Muhammad Yunus, is not being allowed as the protests gather steam.
Haisna's Trial
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) will deliver its verdict on the trial of Hasina on November 17. The former prime minister and two others have been tried for crimes against humanity by the International Crimes Tribunal for alleged atrocities during her tenure and the protests in August last year that toppled the Awami League government.
The two other accused in the case are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Mamun has turned approver and recorded a statement as a state witness during the trial. The tribunal formally indicted the three accused on 10 July, and the trial was telecast live on state television.
Of the three accused, Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan remain fugitives, while former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is the only one in custody. The chief prosecutor in the case, Tajul Islam, has argued for the death penalty for former PM Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan for their alleged crimes against humanity.
