‘Muhammad Yunus is corrupt, power-hungry traitor’: Hasina calls for overthrow of foreign-serving puppet regime in Bangladesh

Deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday (Jan 23) blasted Muhammad Yunus' administration for promoting divisions in the country and sought an impartial investigation by the United Nations into the incident of the past year. She also raised concerns over attempts to silence dissidents, journalists and political opposition and called for the removal of the "illegal Yunus administration."

"The Awami League calls for the following actions to help unify Bangladesh and banish the divisive actions of the past twelve months", she said in a speech.

Urging Yunus of stop "ignoring his own people and do what needs to be done in order to heal our country," the Awami League chief outlined five step process for to ensure a stornger and better Bangldesh "First, restore democracy by removing the illegal Yunus administration. Second, put an end to the daily acts of violence we are seeing on our streets," she said in speech.

Hasina, who is living in exile in New Delhi, sought iron clad gurrentess to ensure the protection of minorities, which are facing incrased level of violent attacks from radicals after her ouster in Bangladesh.

"Third, deliver an ironclad guarantee ensuring the safety of religious minority groups, women and girls, and the most vulnerable in our society. Fourth, end politically motivated acts of lawfare used to intimidate, silence, and jail journalists and members of the Bangladesh Awami League and opposition political parties. Fifth, invite the United Nations to conduct a new and truly impartial investigation into the events of the past year," she added.

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Sheikh Hasina accused Muhmmad Yunus of being "a usurer, a money launderer, a plunderer, and a corrupt, power-hungry traitor, who has bled our nation dry with his all-consuming paradigms, staining the soul of our motherland".

Describing Yunus' interim government as "the foreign-serving puppet regime", it called on Bangladeshis to remove "this national enemy at any cost, the brave sons and daughters of Bangladesh must defend and restore the Constitution written in the blood of martyrs" by rising in sprit of the great liberation war.

Sheikh Hasina’s remarks came as Bangladesh prepares for general elections amid ongoing civil unrest, a rise in attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, that has strained ties with India, and an economy facing deepening challenges.

Bangladesh is set to vote on 12 February to elect the new prime minister and hold a proposed constitutional referendum, aimed at reforming the state institutions in power. However, the legitimacy of the elections remains in question as Yunus administaraion banned from participation and conducting political activities while scores of political opponents remained in jail.

Muhammad Yunus assumed charge as chief adviser on 8 August 2024 after Sheikh Hasina was ousted following a series of violent nationwide protests on 5 August 2024, involving arson, clashes with security forces, multiple deaths and widespread unrest that paralysed Bangladesh’s political and administrative system.