Hasina, who has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh following the August 5 coup last year, alleged that the Yunus-led interim administration has allowed fundamentalist elements to carry out violence. She claimed these groups have attacked minority communities, media offices and even targeted the Indian embassy, while authorities have failed to act decisively. According to Hasina, the government has gone as far as releasing convicted terrorists, emboldening extremist networks.
Her comments come amid heightened concern over minority safety in Bangladesh following the recent killing of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das, who was allegedly lynched by a mob after being falsely accused of blasphemy. Hasina said such incidents reflect a collapse of law and order and pose a broader threat to regional stability. “Rising extremism in Bangladesh is not just a domestic issue, it endangers the whole of South Asia,” she said.
Addressing remarks made in Bangladesh about the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken Neck, Hasina described threats against a neighbouring country as irresponsible and unrepresentative of the Bangladeshi people. She said such rhetoric would subside once democracy is restored.
Hasina reiterated that she would not return to Bangladesh until an elected government is in place and the judiciary regains independence. She dismissed legal action against her, including a reported death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal, as politically motivated and lacking due process. Challenging Yunus, she said he could take the matter to the International Court of Justice if confident of his claims.
Criticising the interim administration’s legitimacy, Hasina said elections without the Awami League would not be credible. She maintained that relations with India would normalise once democratic governance returns, expressing gratitude for India’s support and hospitality during her stay.
