New York:
Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched a scathing attack on the country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus over alleged violence and oppression of minority Hindus. In a virtual address in New York, America, Sheikh Hasina accused Muhammad Yunus of genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh. Hasina said that Muhammad Yunus has failed to protect minorities including Hindus. Hasina claimed, “Like my father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a conspiracy was hatched to kill me and my sister Sheikh Rehana.” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in the year 1975.
This was Sheikh Hasina’s first public address after taking refuge in India following her resignation in August. Referring to the attack on her official residence in Dhaka on August 5, Sheikh Hasina says, “Armed protesters were directed towards Gana Bhawan (Bangladesh PM residence). If the security guards had opened fire, many people would have lost their lives. It was a matter of 25-30 minutes. I was forced to leave no matter what happened.
He said in the program on Sunday, “Today I am being accused of genocide. In fact, Yunus has been involved in the genocide in a designed manner. He is the mastermind of this genocide.”
Yunus talked about holding general elections after the implementation of constitutional and judicial reforms. Bangladesh Sangabad organization gave this information on Wednesday citing Yunus’s interview given to a Japanese newspaper. Nobel laureate Yunus (84) said in an interview to ‘Nikkei Asia’, “We need to make comprehensive reforms in the economy, governance, bureaucracy and judiciary (before holding elections).” Yunus once again said that after the hearing of the case against Hasina at the International Criminal Tribunal in Bangladesh is over, India should extradite her.
Relations between the two neighboring countries have deteriorated since Sheikh Hasina was removed from the post of Prime Minister in August. India has expressed concern over the targeting of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. The situation has worsened after the arrest of Hindu saint Chinmoy Krishna Das last week.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned the Indian Ambassador to its Foreign Office and announced suspension of its consular services located in Agartala, Tripura. The announcement was made a day after protesters entered the consulate.
The bail plea of ​​Hindu saint Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case was postponed till January 2 in a Chittagong court as no lawyer appeared for him. Later his supporters claimed that his lawyers were being threatened.
