Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused interim leader Muhammad Yunus of failing to protect minorities and perpetuating violence, in her first major address since leaving the country. Speaking virtually at an event in New York on Sunday, Hasina charged the Yunus government with orchestrating systemic attacks on Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and other minority groups, painting a grim picture of the current administration’s governance.
This marked Hasina’s first public address since she sought refuge in India after resigning in August amidst mass anti-government protests. The exodus followed violent clashes in Dhaka, where her official residence, Ganabhaban, was stormed by armed protesters.
In her address, Hasina alleged systemic persecution of minorities under Yunus’ leadership, pointing to the destruction of 11 churches, desecration of temples and Buddhist shrines, and the controversial arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
“Hindus, Buddhists, Christians — no one has been spared. Eleven churches have been razed, temples and Buddhist shrines have been broken. When the Hindus protested, the Iskcon leader was arrested,” she said.
Hasina accused Yunus and his alleged collaborators, including student coordinators, of orchestrating these attacks, branding their actions as genocidal. “Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner,” she alleged.
Recalling the events leading to her resignation, Hasina recounted the critical moments of August 5 when armed protesters stormed Ganabhaban. “If the security guards opened fire, many lives would have been lost. It was a matter of 25-30 minutes, and I was forced to leave. I told them [guards] not to fire no matter what happened,” she said.
