"Fascist Yunus": Sheikh Hasina's Fresh Attack On Bangladesh's Interim Leader

On the eve of Bangladesh's Bijoy Dibosh, deposed premier Sheikh Hasina on Sunday launched a fierce attack on the interim administration, dubbing it Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus a "fascist". She claimed Nobel laureate Yunus was leading an "undemocratic group" that was "secretly supporting anti-liberation extremist-communal forces" and the main aim of his dispensation was to suppress the spirit of the Liberation War and the pro-liberation forces.

Ms Hasina's remarks were part of her statement to commemorate the defeat of Pakistani forces in Bangladesh's Liberation War of 1971. Bangladesh celebrates December 16 as 'Bijoy Dibosh' or Victory Day.

On December 16, 1971, then Chief of Pakistani forces General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the joint forces of the Indian Army and 'Mukti Bahini' after the 13-day war following which East Pakistan became Bangladesh.

In a statement posted on her party's official X account, Ms Hasina highlighted the role of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the Awami League in the struggle that culminated in the emergence of Bangladesh. She also noted the developmental work done by the Awami League government and its vision for Bangladesh under her leadership.

মহান বিজয় দিবস উপলক্ষে বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ সভাপতি বঙ্গবন্ধুকন্যা শেখ হাসিনার বিবৃতি
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আগামীকাল ১৬ ডিসেম্বর, মহান বিজয় দিবস। বাংলাদেশের বিজয়ের ৫৩ বছর পূর্তি হবে। দিনটি বাঙালি জাতির এক অনন্য গৌরবোজ্জ্বল দিন। সর্বকালের সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ বাঙালি, জাতির পিতা বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিবুর… pic.twitter.com/4xMEjATUF1 — Awami League (@albd1971) December 15, 2024

Talking about the events leading to her ouster, Ms Hasina said, "Anti-national groups illegally and unconstitutionally seized state power through domestic and foreign conspiracies."

"This undemocratic group, led by fascist Yunus, has no responsibility towards the people. They are obstructing all public welfare-oriented work by seizing power. About 50 million people in the country were under the social security system. They were given various allowances. It has been alleged that most of the allowances have been stopped. The family cards of 4.3 million families under the TCB have been cancelled. The people of the country are suffering from the hardships of rising commodity prices. Hungry people are picking food from dustbins," she said.

Ms Hasina, who fled to India after resigning as the prime minister in August in the face of massive anti-government protests, claimed that since Mr Yunus-led interim government was not democratically elected, it has no responsibility towards the people. 

"Their main goal is to create resentment against the spirit of the Liberation War and the forces supporting the Liberation War and to silence them. On the contrary, they are secretly supporting the anti-liberation extremist-communal forces. The lack of sensitivity of the officials of this government, including the fascist Yunus, towards the Liberation War and its history is proven by their every step," she stated.

Ms Hasina alleged that the Mr Yunus-led dispensation was following the "rituals of the responsible group" Pakistan in an attempt to erase "progressive ideals," the history and spirit of the Liberation War.

"If they could, they would have presented a different narrative and erased the traces of the great Liberation War from every aspect of national life. They would have turned this great glorious event of the collective achievements of the Bengalis into a disgrace," she added. 

Ms Hasina has repeatedly accused the Yunus government of perpetrating "genocide" and failing to protect Hindus and other minorities.