‘I will return and avenge’ Sheikh Hasina blames Yunus for Bangladesh unrest

New Delhi: Deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed interim government leader Muhammad Yunus for the ongoing turmoil in the country, accusing him of unleashing “terrorists” and dissolving inquiry committees investigating the deadly violence that led to the fall of her government.

Hasina’s claims and allegations

“He (Yunus) dissolved all inquiry committees and unleashed terrorists to butcher people. They are destroying Bangladesh,” Speaking during a virtual meeting with the widows and children of police officers killed in the July-August 2024 anti-government protests, Hasina vowed to return to Bangladesh and avenge the deaths. "I will return and avenge the deaths of our policemen," she declared, asserting that Yunus had no experience in governance and had plunged the nation into chaos.

“I will return and avenge the deaths of our policemen,” she said and added that when her government was toppled, she too narrowly escaped death, by the grace of God,” who definitely kept her alive “to do something good.”

“Yunus has no experience in running a government,” the deposed prime minister said adding, “We need to put an end to this lawlessness.”

The Awami League government, which had ruled for 16 years under Hasina, was ousted on August 5, 2024, following a student-led uprising. Hasina fled to India, narrowly escaping what she describes as an assassination attempt. During her recent virtual address, she accused Yunus of plotting her removal and systematically dismantling institutions to enable lawlessness.

She alleged that:

• Yunus dissolved all investigative committees probing the political violence.
• Armed groups were unleashed to target police officers and political opponents.
• The destruction of over 450 police stations was part of a conspiracy to eliminate law enforcement.

UN Report on Bangladesh Unrest

A United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) report, released last week, documented serious human rights violations during the July-August 2024 protests. Covering the period from July 1 to August 15, the report stated that:

• 1,400 people were killed in the violent clashes.
• Hasina’s Awami League government engaged in “hundreds of extrajudicial killings” in a bid to suppress protests.
• At least 44 police officers were killed, while many others fled as stations were torched.

The UN report also highlighted that after Hasina's departure, retaliatory violence surged, with mobs attacking Awami League supporters and minorities, particularly Hindus.

Interim Government’s Response

Muhammad Yunus’s interim government has dismissed Hasina’s claims, arguing that she is attempting to regain political ground through rhetoric. Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, stated that Hasina would be brought back to Bangladesh and put on trial.

"The decision on the Awami League’s future in Bangladesh's political arena will be made by the people and other political parties," Alam said, adding that the UN report had also documented abuses under Hasina’s rule.