Bangladesh's Yunus claims he had appealed to PM Modi over Sheikh Hasina's online speeches, citing ‘unrest'

Indian Express

a day ago

Bangladesh Chief Adviser and head of the country's interim government Muhammad Yunus, while expressing frustration over comments made by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's statements from India, claimed that he had reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and stop her from addressing Bangladeshis. Yunus claimed that her online speeches were provocative and risked inciting unrest in the country.
While speaking to Chatham House think tank director Bronwen Maddox in London on Wednesday (June 11), Yunus said: 'All the anger (against Hasina) has now transferred to India because she went there. When I had a chance to talk to Prime Minister Modi, I simply said: you want to host her, I cannot force you to abandon that policy. But please help us in making sure she doesn't speak to Bangladeshi people the way she is doing (online).'
Hasina, who was forced to flee Bangladesh in August 2024 following student-led protests against a government job quota system that escalated to violent clashes and unrest, was given refuge by India.
'She announces on such and such day at such and such hour, she will speak, and the whole of Bangladesh gets very angry, the way she is speaking. Why is she keeping this whole anger thing inside of us now? And is India doing what you asked? No. Mr Modi's answer, I quote, he said, 'It's the social media, we cannot control it',' the Bangladesh interim leader claimed.
'What can you say? It's an explosive situation. You can't just walk away by saying it's social media. So, this is what is still going on,' he added, describing the current political climate in the country as 'volatile'.
On India-Bangladesh ties
Yunus, during the interaction, also made a mention of the informal diplomatic note issued to India seeking Hasina's extradition.
'This will continue… we want the whole process to be very legal, very proper… We want to build the best of relationship with India. It's our neighbour, we don't want to have any kind of basic problem with them,' Yunus said.
The diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka hit a new low following Hasina's ouster in August 2024, who took refuge in India.
This also comes after the prosecutors with Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal charged Hasina with crimes against humanity, alleging her role in ordering mass killings during a nationwide uprising in July.
The charges, submitted by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and his team, accuse Hasina of being the chief instigator behind the violent crackdown that unfolded during the July and August unrest, according to The Dhaka Tribune.
(With inputs from PTI)