Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Muhammad Yunus is courting “Islamabad while trying to erase Sheikh Mujib’s name from our history”. Bangladesh and Pakistan have significantly increased their bilateral ties since Muhammad Yunus became Chief Adviser of the interim government in August of last year, following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Speaking exclusively to WION’s Sidhant Sibal, she said, “it makes sense for Bangladesh to have a stable relationship with Pakistan. But Yunus’s rushed embrace of Pakistan signifies a desperate, unstrategic desire for any form of international validation. Pakistan has never apologised for 1971”.
The increased Dhaka-Islamabad ties mark a departure from decades of strained relations rooted in the 1971 Liberation War, where Pakistan’s military actions led to an estimated three million deaths and widespread atrocities. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding father and Hasina’s father, led the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan, demanding independence after decades of political and economic marginalisation of East Pakistan.The former Prime Minister spoke about how “the economy us under freefall” under Yunus, India ties, & the vandalisation of the historic house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She spoke to WION in a written email response.
Sidhant Sibal: What next for you, your excellency? How do you see your political future, and your party’s political future? Your take on the elections planned in Bangladesh next year?
Sheikh Hasina: My priority remains the welfare and stability of Bangladesh. The Awami League is woven into Bangladesh’s history and continues to enjoy the support of tens of millions of ordinary people. These planned elections cannot be free, fair or inclusive if the ban on the Awami League’s participation is maintained. Millions of ordinary people will be disenfranchised. That would be a tragedy for Bangladesh because the country badly needs a government ruling with the genuine consent of the people. We must end the destructive cycle of party boycotts and bans and allow a legitimate government to form. The Awami League is committed to serving the country, whether in government or opposition. This ban is intolerable. The Awami League has been elected nine times by the people’s vote and has never seized power by unconstitutional means. Yet here we have an interim government, itself completely unelected, prohibiting the party that was democratically chosen by the people at the last election. As a party, we will continue to challenge this ban legally, diplomatically, and peacefully. Bangladesh belongs to its people, and no regime ruling through fear and repression endures forever.
Sidhant Sibal: What is your view of the situation in Bangladesh since July 2024? We saw the vandalisationof the historic house of your father, and Bangladesh’s father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Hasina:The burning of my father’s house was symbolic of what is happening across Bangladesh. This was an attempt to destroy our nation’s founding principles and history. Radicals within the unelected government are trying to change who we are. Since July, Bangladesh has descended into a state of total chaos. Journalists are being silenced, minorities live in fear, and women are being pushed from public life. Meanwhile, Yunus has released convicted terrorists and granted immunity to those he calls ‘July warriors’: the same people who burned police stations, lynched officers and destroyed national infrastructure. The economy that once flourished under our governance is now in freefall. The rule of law is being demolished. Those who are being persecuted are the ones facing false cases, while those committing crimes are rewarded with positions and privileges. This regime has turned the justice system into a weapon of revenge. Offices are being handed to collaborators and known extremists. The line between governance and lawlessness has completely disappeared.
Sidhant Sibal: How do you see India’s stance so far, when it comes to you, and engagement with the Yunus govt?
Sheikh Hasina: India is a longstanding friend, and the ties binding our two countries are deep. I am deeply grateful to the Indian people for welcoming me. India is watching with justified alarm as Hindus face persecution, as the economic partnerships we built over decades unravel, and as foolish officials in Dhaka issue hostile statements against India. India understandably wants a reliable partner. It can be seen that Yunus is not that person, since he has no electoral mandate, and cannot maintain basic governance and stability. However, the ties between our nations run deeper than any temporary government. I trust that India understands that, eventually, Bangladesh will return to sensible government and restore our natural partnership.
Sidhant Sibal: How do you see increased engagement between the Yunus government and the Pakistani establishment? Several top Pakistani military leaders have been to Dhaka..?
Sheikh Hasina:When we talk about Bangladesh’s relations with other nations, our guiding principle has always been very simple — friendship to all, malice toward none. Of course, it makes sense for Bangladesh to have a stable relationship with Pakistan. But Yunus’s rushed embrace of Pakistan signifies a desperate, unstrategic desire for any form of international validation. Pakistan has never apologised for 1971, yet Yunus courts Islamabad while trying to erase Sheikh Mujib’s name from our history. But here is the crucial point: Yunus has no mandate to realign Bangladesh’s foreign policy. He was not elected to make these strategic decisions that could impact generations. A handful of extremists in his cabinet may dream of undoing our secular foundations and our regional partnerships, but they are fighting against history itself. Once Bangladeshis can vote freely again, our foreign policy will return to serving our national interests, not the ideological fantasies of extremists who have temporarily seized power.
