New Delhi: Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sharply accused the country’s interim government head, Muhammad Yunus, of “selling the nation to the United States”. She also condemned the recent ban on her Awami League party, labeling it unconstitutional. In an audio message posted on her party’s official Facebook account, the ousted leader reiterated her claims that Yunus seized control of Bangladesh’s government with the support of extremist groups.
“My father did not agree to America’s demands for St. Martin’s Island. He had to give his life for that. And that was my destiny as I never thought of selling the country to stay in power,” Hasina said.
She accused Yunus of consolidating power by allying with terrorists, some of whom are banned internationally. “He has seized power with the help of terrorists, even those who are banned in various international arenas, against whom my government protected the people of Bangladesh. After only one terrorist attack, we took strict measures. Many were arrested. Now prisons are empty. They released everyone. Now Bangladesh is the reign of those militants,” she added.
Hasina further branded Yunus a “militant leader” and criticized the interim government’s decision to ban the Awami League. She described the ban as both illegal and unconstitutional.
“The constitution of our great Bengali nation, we got it through a long struggle and the liberation war. Who gave this militant leader, who has illegally seized power, the right to touch the constitution? He does not have the mandate of the people and has no constitutional basis. That position (Chief Advisor) also has no basis, and it does not exist. So, how can he change the law without a parliament? This is illegal. They have banned the Awami League,” Hasina said.
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Recalling the sacrifices made by Bangladeshis during the country’s liberation war alongside her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina emphasized the importance of sovereignty. “It can’t be anyone’s intention to give up even an inch of that country’s soil to anyone. But what a misfortune it is today. Such a person came to power, a person who is absolutely loved by the people of the whole country, a person who is loved by the world, and what happened to that person today when he came to power?”
