‘Power-hungry’ Yunus perpetrating ‘genocide’ in Bangladesh: Hasina
Hasina claims there were plans to kill her and her sister Rehana just like their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975
In her first public address after fleeing Bangladesh four months ago, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has mounted a stinging attack on the country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of perpetrating “genocide” and failing to protect minorities including Hindus.
In the remarks delivered virtually to her supporters at an event in New York, Hasina, presently living in India, also claimed that there were plans to kill her and her sister Sheikh Rehana just like their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975.
Describing Yunus as “power-hungry”, Hasina alleged that the places of worship in Bangladesh are under attack and the current dispensation has totally failed to deal with the situation.
“Meticulously designed” genocide
Hasina was speaking to supporters of her Awami League party at the event organised on Sunday (December 1) to mark “Bijoy Dibos” (Victory Day) on December 16.
Though Hasina has made several statements in the past few months, it was her first public address after taking shelter, an expert closely tracking developments in Bangladesh told news agency PTI.
Also read: Bangladesh unrest: US calls for respect for religious freedom, human rights
“The armed protestors were directed towards Ganabhaban (official residence of the prime minister). 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 not to fire no matter what happened,” Hasina said, speaking in Bengali.
“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.
“Why are minorities being persecuted?”
In her nearly hour-long address, Hasina said the current 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,” she asked.
“People no longer have the right to justice...I never even got the time to resign,” she said.
Also read: Chinmoy Das gets no legal aid, ISKCON urges Bangladesh govt to ensure safety of lawyers
“Situation has deteriorated” since August
Hasina said she left Bangladesh in August with an aim to stop the violence. However, the situation has deteriorated further, she said.
“When people were dying indiscriminately, I decided I should leave,” she said.
The Awami League leader has been staying in India since she left Bangladesh following massive anti-government protests in July and August.
The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Yunus came to power.
India’s stand
India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
There has been a spate of attacks on minorities, including the Hindu community, in Bangladesh in the past 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.
Also read: Bangladesh may seek Hasina’s trial in International Criminal Court: Report
“Interim government must live up to its responsibility”
New Delhi also hoped that the case relating to Das, arrested on a charge of sedition, will 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 last Friday.
“We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities,” he added.
(With agency inputs)
