New Delhi: In a blistering assault on Bangladesh’s Interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused him of “courting Islamabad” and “attempting to erase Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s identify from historical past”. Since he took cost of the interim authorities following her dramatic ouster in August final yr, Dhaka and Islamabad have strengthened ties, marking a departure from many years of estrangement rooted within the 1971 Liberation Battle.
Talking solely to WION’s Sidhant Sibal, Hasina alleged that Yunus’s authorities has “opened the doorways to radicals”, thrown the nation into “complete chaos” and “realigned international coverage and not using a mandate”.
She claimed the once-booming financial system is now “in freefall”, journalists are being silenced and minorities stay in concern beneath Yunus’s rule. She additionally lashed out at what she referred to as his “unstrategic need for worldwide validation” via Pakistan’s army institution, a transfer, she mentioned, that “betrays the sacrifices of 1971”.
Excerpts:
Q: What subsequent for you, Your Excellency? How do you see your political future and your social gathering’s future? What’s your tackle the elections deliberate in Bangladesh subsequent yr?
A: My precedence stays the welfare and stability of Bangladesh. The Awami League is woven into Bangladesh’s historical past and continues to benefit from the help of tens of hundreds of thousands of abnormal individuals. These deliberate elections can’t be free, truthful or inclusive if the ban on the Awami League’s participation continues. Tens of millions of abnormal individuals might be disenfranchised. That will be a tragedy for Bangladesh as a result of the nation badly wants a authorities ruling with the real consent of the individuals.
We should finish the harmful cycle of social gathering boycotts and bans and permit a professional authorities to kind. The Awami League is dedicated to serving the nation whether or not in authorities or opposition. This ban is insupportable. The Awami League has been elected 9 occasions by the individuals’s vote and has by no means seized energy by unconstitutional means.
However right here now we have an interim authorities, (which) itself fully unelected, prohibiting the social gathering that was democratically chosen by the individuals on the final election.
As a celebration, we’ll proceed to problem this ban legally, diplomatically and peacefully. Bangladesh belongs to its individuals and no regime ruling via concern and repression endures eternally.
Q: How do you view the present state of affairs in Bangladesh since July 2024? We noticed the historic residence of your father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation, being vandalised.
A: The burning of my father’s home was symbolic of what’s taking place throughout Bangladesh. This was an try to destroy our nation’s founding rules and historical past. Radicals throughout the unelected authorities are attempting to vary who we’re. Since July, Bangladesh has descended right into a state of complete chaos. Journalists are being silenced, minorities stay in concern and girls are being pushed from public life.
In the meantime, Yunus has launched convicted terrorists and granted immunity to these he calls ‘July warriors’: the identical individuals who burned police stations, lynched officers and destroyed nationwide infrastructure.
The financial system that after flourished beneath our governance is now in freefall. The rule of regulation is being demolished. Those that are being persecuted are those going through false instances, whereas these committing crimes are rewarded with positions and privileges.
This regime has turned the justice system right into a weapon of revenge. Places of work are being handed to collaborators and recognized extremists. The road between governance and lawlessness has fully disappeared.
Q: How do you assess India’s stance up to now, each towards you and in its engagement with the Yunus authorities?
A: India is a longstanding pal, and the ties binding our two international locations are deep. I’m deeply grateful to the Indian individuals for welcoming me. India is watching with justified alarm as Hindus face persecution, because the financial partnerships we constructed over many years unravel and as silly officers in Dhaka problem hostile statements towards India.
India understandably desires a dependable companion. It could actually see that Yunus shouldn’t be that particular person, since he has no electoral mandate, and can’t keep fundamental governance and stability.
Nevertheless, the ties between our nations run deeper than any non permanent authorities, I belief that India understands that, finally, Bangladesh will return to wise authorities and restore our pure partnership.
Q: How do you see the rising engagement between the Yunus authorities and the Pakistani institution? A number of high Pakistani army officers have visited Dhaka just lately.
A: After we discuss Bangladesh’s relations with different nations, our tenet has all the time been quite simple: friendship to all, malice towards none.
After all, it is smart for Bangladesh to have a secure relationship with Pakistan. However Yunus’s rushed embrace of Pakistan signifies a determined and unstrategic need for any type of worldwide validation.
Pakistan has by no means apologised for 1971, however Yunus courts Islamabad whereas attempting to erase Sheikh Mujib’s identify from our historical past. However right here is the essential level: Yunus has no mandate to realign Bangladesh’s international coverage. He was not elected to make these strategic selections that might impression generations. A handful of extremists in his cupboard might dream of undoing our secular foundations and our regional partnerships, however they’re preventing towards historical past itself.
As soon as Bangladeshis can vote freely once more, our international coverage will return to serving our nationwide pursuits, not the ideological fantasies of extremists who’ve briefly seized energy.