New Delhi: In her first public address since seeking refuge in India following her resignation in August, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lambasted the country’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of severe wrongdoing and neglecting minority communities. Speaking virtually at an event in New York, Hasina alleged that Yunus was responsible for “genocide” and had failed to safeguard the rights of minorities, including Hindus.
She also voiced concerns about threats to her life and that of her sister, Sheikh Rehana, claiming there were plans to assassinate them in the same manner as their father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was killed in 1975. This address marked Sheikh Hasina’s first public appearance since she left Bangladesh due to widespread anti-government protests, though she had previously commented on the situation in the country.
“The armed protestors were directed towards Ganabhaban. If the security guards opened fire, many lives would have been lost. It was a matter of 25-30 minutes, and I was forced to leave. I told them [guards] not to fire no matter what happened,” she said referring to the storming of her official residence in Dhaka on August 5. Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner. The masterminds — the student coordinators and Yunus — are behind this genocide,” she said at the event on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina said the current ruling dispensation in Dhaka failed to protect the minorities. “Hindus, Buddhists, Christians — no one has been spared. Eleven churches have been razed, temples and Buddhist shrines have been broken. When the Hindus protested, the Iskcon leader was arrested,” she said in an oblique reference to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
“What is this persecution of minorities for? Why are they being ruthlessly persecuted and attacked? People no longer have the right to justice… I never even got the time to resign,” she said speaking in Bengali.
Sheikh Hasina said she left Bangladesh in August with an aim to stop the violence, but that did not happen.
The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
Sheikh Hasina has been staying in India since she left Bangladesh following massive anti-government protests in July and August.
In her speech at the event hosted to mark Bangladesh’s ‘Vijay Diwas’, the Awami League leader also alleged that there was a plot to assassinate her.
“When people were dying indiscriminately, I decided I should leave,” she said.
There has been a spate of attacks on minorities including on the Hindu community in Bangladesh in the last few months.
India last week said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.
New Delhi also hoped that the case relating to Das, arrested on a charge of sedition, would be dealt with in a just, fair and transparent manner.
“Our position on the matter is very clear — the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing on Friday.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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