Hasina’s fascist party has no place in Bangladesh: Dr Yunus tells FT

“She is accused of crimes against humanity… When the verdict is given, we will try to bring her back through an extradition treaty with India,” the chief adviser said. “I don’t think there’s any reason for us to do that before sentencing.”

TVS report

October 30, 2024, 11:25

Last modified: October 30, 2024 12:23 pm

File photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus speaks at the Trust Women conference in London on November 19, 2014. Photo: Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

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File photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus speaks at the Trust Women conference in London on November 19, 2014. Photo: Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus accused ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political party of displaying “all the characteristics of fascism”, saying it has “no place at the moment” in the country’s politics.

Yunus’ comments make it clear that the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate is advocating a tough stance against the former prime minister’s Awami League, Bangladesh’s oldest and largest political party, the Financial Times reported.

Yunus also said his caretaker government would not immediately seek Sheikh Hasina’s extradition from India, a move that could avoid heightening diplomatic tensions between Bangladesh and its giant neighbor for now.

“In the short term, it definitely has no place—the Awami League has no place—in Bangladesh,” he said.

“They controlled the people, they controlled the (political) machine, they controlled the institutions to enhance their interests,” he added. “There should not be a single fascist party in a democratic system.”

Political rivals and rights groups have accused the Awami League of rigging recent elections, carrying out extrajudicial killings and seizing government institutions during Sheikh Hasina’s more than 15-year rule.

Since its defection to Bangladesh, there has been debate over whether the party should be suspended from political activity, forced to implement reforms, or banned entirely.

Yunus suggested that the Awami League could disintegrate, but stressed that its fate would not be decided by his caretaker administration as it was “not a political government”.

Any decision on whether the League can participate in future elections will be made by “consensus” of the political parties themselves, he said. “They need to define their political space.”

Hasina’s whereabouts in India are unknown. Khalid Mahmood Chowdhury, a former MP and organizing secretary of the Awami League, told the FT that the party is “ready to join the elections at any time.”

A former economics professor and self-described “banker to the poor,” Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his role in creating the pioneering microcredit bank Grameen. He had previously been targeted by Sheikh Hasina in what her critics called a vendetta.

His caretaker cabinet, which includes two student leaders, is now laying the groundwork for new elections and has formed 10 commissions tasked with reforming institutions including the police, judiciary and public administration.

Yunus, who has said he has no intention of joining politics or forming a political party, will not figure on the election schedule. “Our task is to resolve the situation and implement a new reform program,” he said. “When preparations for the elections are completed, we will hold consultations with political parties.”

The overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s regime strained relations with India, its largest foreign backer.

Yunus has said his government will seek Sheikh Hasina’s return, but only after a domestic criminal tribunal hands down a verdict, which this month issued an arrest warrant for her and 45 others.

“She is accused of crimes against humanity… when the verdict is given, we will try to bring her back through an extradition treaty with India,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any basis for us to do that before sentencing.”

Sheikh Hasina’s son Sadib Wazed told the FT in August that his mother’s accusations of violence against protesters were false and she was ready to answer any accusations “because she had done nothing illegal.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concerns about the safety of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority since the Yunus government took power, and many in New Delhi remain hostile to what they claim was regime change supported by USA.

After the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, many Awami League supporters fled into exile or went into hiding. An unknown number of people were killed in a wave of retaliation carried out by targets of the former regime, including members of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

The Health Ministry said about 800 people were killed in the unrest, including protesters, bystanders and police. However, human rights groups have not confirmed India’s accusations of widespread atrocities against Hindus.

Yunus acknowledged “some incidents” of violence against Hindus and a “very small number” of deaths. But he argued that they were persecuted because of their affiliation with the Awami League and not because of their religion.

“Most of the Hindus (of the August attackers) supported the Awami League,” he said, adding that critics had “changed the narrative.”

Yunus said a lack of support from New Delhi, with which Bangladesh is linked through energy, water and other infrastructure projects and a shared history, had “hurt” his government. He added that Modi’s visit would be “very welcome”.

“We tried…to highlight the fact that we are neighbors, we need each other, we should have the best relationship that two neighbors can have,” he said.