Exiled Hasina Demands UN Probe, Uprising Against Yunus In India Speech

In her first public address from India, exiled former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a fiery message urging citizens to oppose the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for February 12. Speaking through a pre-recorded audio message at an event titled “Save Democracy in Bangladesh” at the Foreign Correspondents Club, Hasina claimed that the Yunus administration is incapable of holding free and fair elections.

Labeling Yunus a “corrupt, power-hungry traitor,” Hasina accused him of orchestrating a plot to remove her from office in August 2024. She called on Bangladeshis to unite, invoking the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War, and urged the public to defend the Constitution, safeguard sovereignty, and restore democracy.

Hasina outlined five key demands, including the removal of the Yunus administration, an end to daily acts of violence and lawlessness, and guarantees for the safety of religious minorities, women, and vulnerable groups. She condemned politically motivated actions against journalists and opposition members, calling for restored confidence in the judiciary.

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The former prime minister also appealed for international intervention, urging the United Nations to conduct “a new and truly impartial investigation” into events following her government’s ouster, promoting reconciliation and accountability.

Highlighting the human rights crisis, Hasina claimed that Bangladesh is now “plunged into an age of terror,” citing violence, torture, sexual assault, and persecution of minorities, while asserting that press freedom and law and order have collapsed under Yunus’ rule.

Her address comes as the Awami League faces a ban from contesting the upcoming elections, and she remains in self-imposed exile in India following widespread protests in Bangladesh. Hasina’s remarks reinforce her continued influence and set the stage for heightened political tensions in the lead-up to the polls.

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