'Yunus wants to perpetuate control by unelected elite': Sheikh Hasina demands free and fair election in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of attempting to “perpetuate control by an unelected elite” as she renewed her call for a free and fair election in the country.

In a written interview with Firstpost, Hasina said India fully understands the consequences of holding an election without major political parties, particularly the Awami League.

“India, as Bangladesh’s oldest friend and the largest democracy in our region, understands that elections without the participation of all major political parties cannot be considered legitimate. An election that excludes tens of millions of voters who support the Awami League would be a farce. India wants a reliable partner in Dhaka, not a government holding power without popular consent,” she said.

Hasina also criticised Interim Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s foreign policy, warning that “alienation from India is dangerous.” She reiterated that India remains “Bangladesh’s oldest friend,” arguing that distancing Dhaka from New Delhi undermines a vital strategic relationship.

On strengthening ties with China amid a growing rift with India, Hasina said that during her tenure Bangladesh maintained strong, balanced relations with both countries. She cautioned that Yunus’s current approach breaks that balance.

“Bangladesh’s foreign policy has always been friendship to all, malice to none. During my tenure, we maintained strong relationships with both India and China. What concerns me about Yunus’s approach is not engagement with China itself, but the context in which it’s happening, which seemingly includes a dangerous alienation from India,” she said.

“India and Bangladesh share a 4,000-kilometre border, deep cultural ties, and critical security interests. No amount of engagement with China can replace this fundamental relationship. The current administration’s foreign policy appears driven more by desperation for international recognition than by Bangladesh’s genuine national interests,” she added.

Hasina further raised concerns over escalating attacks on Hindu communities and other minorities since August 2024. “The systematic attacks on Hindu communities and other minorities since August 2024 are not random acts of violence. They are part of a deliberate campaign by extremist elements who have been emboldened and abetted by the current administration,” she said.

“Under my government, we made strenuous efforts to protect all citizens regardless of their faith. Bangladesh was founded on secular, democratic principles that respected diversity. Now, religious minorities are living in fear, their temples are being attacked, their businesses destroyed, and their families threatened.”

She argued that the interim government’s failure to act amounts to “complicity.” “The interim government’s failure to protect minorities isn’t just negligence – it’s complicity. When you align yourself with extremist forces to gain power, you cannot then act surprised when those forces pursue their agenda of intolerance and violence. The international community must not remain silent while Bangladesh’s Hindu population and other minorities face this persecution,” she told Firstpost.