Sheikh Hasina lashes out at Muhammad Yunus, accuses him of power grab and historical erasure

In a fiery address from exile, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched a scathing attack on Muhammad Yunus and the interim government he leads.

She accused them of conspiring with foreign powers to destabilise the country and erase the legacy of the Awami League.

Speaking virtually to her supporters, Hasina denounced Yunus as a "self-serving loan shark" whose alleged obsession with power has thrown Bangladesh into chaos. “He’s trying to destroy our country from within, using foreign resources and the help of opposition forces like the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami,” she said.

Hasina claimed that the contributions of freedom fighters and the Awami League to the nation’s independence are being deliberately erased under the current regime. “They’re burning down Mukti Joddha Complexes in various districts, insulting our freedom fighters. If you play with fire, it will burn you too,” she warned Yunus, who currently serves as the chief adviser to the interim administration.

The former premier also questioned the official narrative surrounding the death of Abu Sayeed, a student protester who became a symbol of resistance during last year's massive demonstrations. Sayeed’s death sparked nationwide outrage, with a UN fact-finding report later alleging he was killed in an extrajudicial police shooting involving 7.62 mm bullets. Hasina, however, claimed that only rubber pellets were used and suggested that a rock might have caused his fatal injury during clashes.

She further accused Yunus of obstructing a judicial investigation she had initiated into the protest-related deaths. “When an officer attempted to trace the origin of the rifle, Yunus removed him from his post. He is hiding the truth because he’s responsible,” Hasina alleged, insisting that the protesters’ deaths were part of a “premeditated conspiracy.”

Hasina also painted a bleak picture of the country's current state, claiming that industries have collapsed, thousands of workers have lost their jobs, and hospitals and hotels are shutting down. “Awami League leaders are being falsely implicated while those attacking police and public property are protected,” she said.

She blamed the BNP for taking advantage of the political vacuum created after her ousting and accused the current administration of replacing trained professionals with political operatives, particularly in the police force. “Top doctors are being dismissed, and political workers are being given uniforms. There’s no regard for qualifications or rules,” she said.

Currently in exile in India, Hasina claimed divine purpose in her survival and vowed to return to restore order. “I’m alive because Allah has a reason. I cannot watch this destruction in silence,” she declared.

Meanwhile, Dhaka has been pushing for her extradition and Yunus has reportedly raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing Hasina of trying to incite unrest. While India has previously expressed concern over the treatment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, Dhaka dismissed many of these claims as exaggerated or false.