Exclusive: Yunus Betraying 1971, Erasing Bangladesh’s History While Courting Pakistan, Says Sheikh Hasina | World News

New Delhi: In a scathing attack on Bangladesh’s Interim Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused him of “courting Islamabad” and “trying to erase the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from history”. Since taking charge of the interim government following its dramatic ouster in August last year, Dhaka and Islamabad have strengthened their ties, marking a break from decades of estrangement dating back to the 1971 War of Liberation.

Speaking exclusively to WION’s Sidhant Sibal, Hasina alleged that the Younis government “opened the doors to radicals”, plunged the country into “complete chaos” and “reorganized foreign policy without a mandate”.

He claimed that the once booming economy was now in “free fall”, journalists were silenced and minorities lived in fear under Yunus’ rule. He also lashed out at what he called “non-strategic desire for international approval” through Pakistan’s military structure; He said this move “was a betrayal of the sacrifices of 1971”.

Quotes:

Q: What’s next, Your Excellency? How do you see your political future and the future of your party? How do you evaluate the elections planned to be held in Bangladesh next year?

A: My priority remains the prosperity and stability of Bangladesh. The Awami League is woven into the history of Bangladesh and continues to enjoy the support of tens of millions of ordinary people. These planned elections cannot be free, fair or inclusive if the ban on Awami League participation continues. Millions of ordinary people will be deprived of their rights. This would be a tragedy for Bangladesh because the country desperately needs a government that will make decisions with the true consent of the people.

We must end the destructive cycle of party boycotts and bans and allow the formation of a legitimate government. Awami League is committed to serving the country, whether in government or opposition. This ban is unacceptable. The Awami League was elected by popular vote nine times and has never seized power through unconstitutional means.

But here we have an interim government that is itself completely unelected, banning the party democratically elected by the people in the last election.

As a party, we will continue to oppose this ban through legal, diplomatic and peaceful means. It belongs to the people of Bangladesh, and no regime governed by fear and oppression can last forever.

Q: How do you see the current situation in Bangladesh since July 2024? We have seen the destruction of the historical house of your father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh.

A: The burning of my father’s house was symbolic of what was happening in Bangladesh. This was an attempt to destroy the founding principles and history of our nation. Radicals within the unelected government are trying to change who we are. Since July, Bangladesh has been plunged into complete chaos. Journalists are silenced, minorities live in fear and women are excluded from public life.

Meanwhile, Yunus released convicted terrorists and granted immunity to those he called ‘July warriors’: the same people who burned police stations, lynched officers and destroyed national infrastructure.

The economy, once thriving under our rule, is now in free fall. The rule of law is collapsing. Those who face false trials are the ones who are persecuted, while those who commit crimes are rewarded with positions and privileges.

This regime has turned the justice system into a weapon of revenge. Offices are being handed over to collaborators and known extremists. The line between governance and lawlessness has completely disappeared.

Q: How do you evaluate India’s attitude so far towards both you and its relations with the Yunus government?

A: India has been our long-time friend and the ties between our two countries run deep. I am deeply grateful to the Indian people for welcoming me. India watches with rightful alarm as Hindus face persecution, economic partnerships we have built over decades unravel, and foolish officials in Dhaka make hostile statements against India.

India understandably wants a reliable partner. It seems that Yunus is not such a person, that he does not have the authority to choose, and that he cannot provide basic governance and stability.

However, the ties between our nations run deeper than any interim government; I believe India will eventually realize that Bangladesh will return to a sensible government and restore our natural partnership.

Q: How do you see the increasing interaction between the Yunus government and the Pakistani establishment? A number of senior Pakistani military officials visited Dhaka recently.

A: When we talk about Bangladesh’s relations with other nations, our guiding principle has always been very simple: friendship to all, malice to none.

Of course, it makes sense for Bangladesh to have a stable relationship with Pakistan. But Yunus’s hasty embrace of Pakistan indicates a desperate and unstrategic desire for any kind of international approval.

Pakistan has never apologized for 1971, but Younis is courting Islamabad while trying to erase Sheikh Mujib’s name from our history. But here’s the crucial point: Yunus has no authority to reform Bangladesh’s foreign policy. He was not elected to make these strategic decisions that could affect generations. A handful of extremists in his cabinet may dream of destroying our secular foundations and regional partnerships, but they are fighting against history.

When Bangladeshis can vote freely again, our foreign policy will return to serving our national interests, not the ideological fantasies of extremists who temporarily seize power.