'Sheikh Hasina Must Keep Quiet': Muhammad Yunus Lays Out Condition For Former Bangladesh PM's Return

Muhammad Yunus said India must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that Bangladesh will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh interim government, during an interview in Dhaka.

Source : PTI

Taking a strong note of Sheikh Hasina's recent statement, Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, said that if India wants to keep her till Bangladesh government wants back, then the former prime minister would have "to be quiet". 

Yunus said that Hasina making political remarks from New Delhi is an “unfriendly gesture" adding that she must remain silent to prevent discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition.

"If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," the head of the interim government said in an interview with news agency PTI.

Reiterating that Bangladesh values strong ties with India, Muhammad Yunus said New Delhi must move "beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina."

Yunus said that Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India after fleeing from Bangladesh last month, is making statements, which is problematic.

He added that if the former Bangladesh PM would have been quiet, people would have forgotten it.

"No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it,” he said.

Yunus was referring to Sheikh Hasina's statement on August 13 where she demanded "justice", saying those involved in recent "terror acts", killings and vandalism must be investigated, identified and punished.

Hasina resigned as the Bangladesh prime minister and fled to India on August 5 following unprecedented anti-government protests that escalated in July. Her presence in India for nearly four weeks has fuelled speculation in Bangladesh.

When asked whether Bangladesh has communicated its stance to India, Yunus said it has been conveyed verbally and quite firmly that she should keep quiet.

“Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a people’s uprising and public anger,” Yunus said.

Earlier in an interview to ABP LIVE, Yunus had said, India had been “unfortunately” supporting Hasina’s methods of manipulating every election she fought. “That’s why people are angry with India that you are supporting a person who’s taking away all our rights.”

On the question of her return, Yunus stated that the interim government is committed to ensuring justice for the people of Bangladesh against the atrocities and added that justice requires that she be brought back to the country.

“Yes, she has to be brought back or else the people of Bangladesh won’t be at peace. The kind of atrocities she has committed, she has to be tried in front of everyone here,” he stated.

Yunus, meanwhile, expressed a desire for good ties with India but insisted that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that only Hasina’s leadership ensures the country’s stability.

He emphasised the need for India and Bangladesh to work together to improve their currently strained relationship.

He added that both the countries needed to work together and it is on a downhill presently.