Sheikh Hasina Slams Muhammad Yunus For Persecution Of Minorities In Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has mounted a stinging assault on the nation’s interim chief Muhammad Yunus over alleged persecution of minorities. In a digital tackle at an occasion in New York, Hasina accused Yunus of perpetrating “genocide” and failing to guard minorities together with Hindus. She additionally claimed that there have been plans to assassinate her and her sister Sheikh Rehana similar to their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975. It was Hasina’s first public tackle after taking shelter in India following her resignation in August within the face of huge anti-government protests, although she had commented on the general state of affairs in Bangladesh. “The armed protestors had been directed in the direction of Ganabhaban. If the safety guards opened fireplace, many lives would have been misplaced. It was a matter of 25-Half-hour, and I used to be compelled to depart. I informed them [guards] to not fireplace it doesn’t matter what occurred,” she stated referring to the storming of her official residence in Dhaka on August 5.

“At the moment, I’m being accused of genocide. In actuality, Yunus has been concerned in genocide in a meticulously designed method. The masterminds — the scholar coordinators and Yunus — are behind this genocide,” she stated on the occasion on Sunday. Hasina stated the present ruling dispensation in Dhaka failed to guard the minorities.

“Hindus, Buddhists, Christians — nobody has been spared. Eleven church buildings have been razed, temples and Buddhist shrines have been damaged. When the Hindus protested, the Iskcon chief was arrested,” she stated in an indirect reference to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. “What is that this persecution of minorities for? Why are they being ruthlessly persecuted and attacked?” she stated.

“Individuals now not have the appropriate to justice… I by no means even bought the time to resign,” she stated talking in Bengali. Hasina stated she left Bangladesh in August with an purpose to cease the violence, however that didn’t occur. The relations between India and Bangladesh got here below pressure after the interim authorities headed by Yunus got here to energy. India has been expressing considerations over assaults on minorities, particularly Hindus, in that nation.

Hasina has been staying in India since she left Bangladesh following huge anti-government protests in July and August. In her speech on the occasion hosted to mark Bangladesh’s ‘Vijay Diwas’, the Awami League chief additionally alleged that there was a plot to assassinate her. “When folks had been dying indiscriminately, I made a decision I ought to go away,” she stated.

There was a spate of assaults on minorities together with on the Hindu group in Bangladesh in the previous few months. India final week stated the interim authorities in Bangladesh should reside as much as its accountability of defending all minorities because it expressed severe concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and growing incidents of violence in opposition to Hindus.

New Delhi additionally hoped that the case referring to Das, arrested on a cost of sedition, could be handled in a simply, honest and clear method. “Our place on the matter may be very clear — the interim authorities should reside as much as its accountability of defending all minorities,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at his weekly media briefing on Friday.

“We’re involved on the surge of extremist rhetoric, growing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments can’t be dismissed solely as media exaggeration. We as soon as once more name upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the safety of minorities,” he added.