Muhammad Yunus, student coordinators 'masterminds of mass killings' in Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina

Ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina accused the head of the country’s interim government Muhammad Yunus of mass killings and blamed him for atrocities on minorities.

Virtually addressing an event of her political party - Awami League - in New York, Hasina blamed Yunus for the attacks on religious places including temples, churches and Iskcon.

“Today, I have been accused of mass killings. In reality, it is Muhammad Yunus who has indulged in mass killings through a meticulous designed plan along with the student coordinators. They are the masterminds,” Hasina, who fled from Bangladesh on August 5 after the student protests intensified in her country, said.

“Even Tarique Rahman (BNP leader and Khaleda Zia’s son) from London has said that if the deaths continue, then the government won’t last,” she said.

Why are Hindus targeted in Bangladesh?

During her address, the former Bangladesh PM also referred to the alleged atrocities against the minorities in India’s neighbouring country. She asked: “Today, teachers, and police are all being attacked and killed… Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians are being targeted. Churches and several temples have been attacked. Why are minorities being targeted in Bangladesh now?”

Hasina’s statement came amid reports of a number of attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Last week, three Hindu monks were arrested by police in Dhaka which escalated tension.

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‘Didn’t want massacre’

Hasina claimed there was a plan to assassinate her just like her father and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The former Bangladesh leader said that she left her country as she didn’t want a “massacre”.

“There was a plan to assassinate just like the Father of our Nation who was killed on August 15 (1975). It was a matter of 25–30 minutes. But I told my security not to open fire,” she told her party members.

“I did not want a massacre. If I wanted to hold on to power, there would have been a massacre. When people were being killed indiscriminately, I decided I should leave. Had my security personnel opened fire, so many would have died at Gana Bhavan. I did not want that,” Hasina said.

With inputs from agencies.