Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has accused the interim Yunus government of enabling rising extremism and attacks on minority communities, while urging India to stand up for democratic values
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has strongly criticised the interim government led by Nobel laureate
Muhammad Yunus, accusing it of allowing religious extremism and attacks on minority communities to increase. In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Hasina also urged India to stand up for democratic values in the region.
Hasina, who was forced into exile in India in August 2024 following massive protests and the collapse of her government, has repeatedly targeted the Yunus administration for what she describes as a serious breakdown of law and order. She says the situation has worsened in Bangladesh in the months since her departure, with minorities allegedly facing intimidation and violence.
“Bangladesh is witnessing the rise of religious extremism, mob violence and political opportunism, all enabled by the state’s current leadership,” she said.
Hasina’s remarks come at a sensitive time, as Bangladesh has reportedly seen a spike in targeted violence in recent weeks.
Mob attacks continue in Bangladesh
In the latest incident, a man identified as Mithun Sarkar died after he was chased by a mob. Sarkar, the Bangladesh police said, jumped into a water body while trying to escape his attackers, who accused him of theft.
According to Naogaon Police Superintendent Mohammad Tariqul Islam, news agency ANI reported, said the police were alerted soon after the incident and recovered the body with the help of the fire service. Authorities have ordered a post-mortem examination and said an investigation is underway.
The case comes amid reports of targeted violence against minority communities in Bangladesh, which has been grappling with unrest since the death of a prominent student leader in December last year. Several such incidents have been reported across different districts in recent weeks.
Some Bangladesh observers attribute these incidents of targeted violence against the minority communities to the upcoming national election scheduled for February. They see the streak of targeted violence as attempts to polarise the national election that will decide who governs Bangladesh about 18 months after Hasina’s government was toppled.
Political uncertainty deepens
Hasina’s comments also come amid broader political uncertainty, including disputes over representation in the upcoming February 12 general elections. Her
Awami League remains barred from contesting, and calls have gone out for supporters to abstain from voting.
Appealing to India, Hasina cited the longstanding ties between the two countries and stressed that democratic norms should not be sidelined as Bangladesh navigates its current challenges.
“An election that excludes tens of millions of voters who support the Awami League would be a farce,” she argued.
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