Sheikh Hasina ‘destroyed everything’, will hold elections after ushering in comprehensive reforms, says Muhammad Yunus

Bangladesh’s interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said that the Sheikh Hasina administration has “destroyed everything” and vowed to hold general elections only after implementing constitutional and judicial reforms.

In an interview to Nikkei Asia, The 84-year-old Nobel laureate said, “We need comprehensive reforms in the economy, governance, bureaucracy and judiciary (before holding elections).”

He said India should extradite Hasina once her trial in the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh concludes.

“Once the trial concludes and a verdict is reached, we will formally request India to hand her over,” said Yunus, adding that under an international law signed by both countries, “India would be obligated to comply.”

Yunus also said that the Indian government’s concerns about the safety of Hindus are not grounded in facts, as much of the information being spread is “propaganda.”

Relations between India and Bangladesh worsened since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister in August. India has expressed concern over the targeting of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, a situation further escalated by the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das last week.

Yunus also proposed reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which he claimed has remained largely inactive due to the strained relations between India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh summoned the Indian envoy to its Foreign Office and announced the suspension of consular services at its mission in Agartala, Tripura, a day after protesters breached the premises.

The bail plea of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case at a court in Chattogram was postponed to January 2, as no lawyer appeared on his behalf. His supporters later alleged that his advocates were under threat.

In the interview, Yunus mentioned that Bangladesh’s interim government has set up several commissions to push reforms in areas such as the electoral system, constitution, and judiciary.

He said the government plans to implement comprehensive reforms by January after receiving recommendations from these commissions.

“Implementing these reforms will take time, as we are essentially building a new Bangladesh from scratch,” Nikkei Asia quoted him as saying.

Yunus ruled himself out from contesting the elections. “No, I’m not a politician. I’ve always stayed away from politics,” he said in the interview.

“The country’s governance structure has been completely destroyed during Hasina’s 15-year rule, and a huge task has fallen on us to rebuild it by restoring democracy, economic stability and public trust,” he said.

“Under her rule, democratic principles were entirely disregarded. She orchestrated sham elections with no voter participation for three consecutive terms, declaring herself and her party the winners unopposed and operated as a fascist ruler,” he added.

With inputs from agencies