Mumbai: In her first public address since fleeing Bangladesh four months ago, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched a scathing attack on interim leader Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of orchestrating "genocide" and failing to protect minorities, including Hindus.
Speaking virtually at an event in New York to mark Bangladesh’s "Bijoy Dibos" (Victory Day), Hasina alleged that the current regime has allowed attacks on places of worship and ignored the plight of vulnerable communities.
Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Addresses Supports Of Her Awami League Party
Addressing supporters of her Awami League party, Hasina accused Yunus of being "power-hungry" and claimed there were plots to assassinate her and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, similar to the killing of their father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975.
“Today, I am being accused of genocide, but it is Yunus and his accomplices who have meticulously orchestrated this violence,” she said, speaking in Bengali.
Hasina’s nearly hour-long speech outlined the deteriorating situation for minorities in Bangladesh. She stated that Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians have faced relentless persecution, with 11 churches razed and temples desecrated. She referred to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das as evidence of systemic targeting of dissenters. Recounting her departure from Bangladesh in August, Hasina described the escalating violence.
“The armed protesters were marching towards Ganabhaban. I instructed the security forces not to fire, even though it meant risking lives,” she said. “To stop the bloodshed, I left. But the violence has worsened.”
India's Ministry Of External Affairs Expresses Concern
The strained ties between India and Bangladesh were also highlighted. India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over the surge in extremist rhetoric and violence against minorities. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called on the interim government to fulfill its duty to protect minorities and ensure justice in the case of Chinmoy Krishna Das. As Hasina remains in India, her remarks underline the growing tensions within Bangladesh and its impact on regional stability.
