Dhaka / New Delhi, 13 November (HS): Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has strongly criticized Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of seeking favour from Pakistan while attempting to erase the legacy of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In an interview to WION, Hasina said the Yunus-led interim government has pursued an “unstrategic and desperate” tilt towards Islamabad in search of international legitimacy.

“Of course, it makes sense for Bangladesh to have a stable relationship with Pakistan. But Yunus’s rushed embrace of Islamabad signifies a desperate, unstrategic desire for any form of international validation. Pakistan has never apologized for 1971,” Hasina told WION.

The former Prime Minister said that Bangladesh’s recent outreach to Pakistan marks a dramatic shift from decades of cautious relations defined by the trauma of the 1971 Liberation War, during which three million people were killed.

“Yunus has no mandate to realign Bangladesh’s foreign policy. A handful of extremists in his cabinet may dream of undoing our secular foundations, but they are fighting against history itself,” she said.

Hasina also condemned the vandalization of the historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, calling it a symbolic attack on the nation’s identity.

“The burning of my father’s house was symbolic of what is happening across Bangladesh. Radicals within the unelected government are trying to destroy our founding principles and history. The economy that once flourished is now in freefall, journalists are silenced, and extremists are being rewarded with power,” she said.

On India–Bangladesh relations, Hasina described India as a “longstanding friend” while accusing the interim regime of “issuing hostile statements” toward New Delhi.

“India understands that Yunus, who lacks an electoral mandate, cannot provide stability or credible partnership. Our nations share a bond that runs deeper than any temporary government,” she added.

Hasina further said that the ban on the Awami League must be lifted to ensure free and fair elections next year.

“The Awami League is woven into the fabric of Bangladesh’s history. This ban is intolerable. Bangladesh belongs to its people, and no unelected regime ruling through fear and repression can endure forever,” she asserted.

Hasina, who led Bangladesh for more than 15 years, said her party would continue its struggle “legally, diplomatically, and peacefully” to restore democracy and stability.

Her remarks mark one of her strongest public statements since her ouster in August 2024, highlighting the deepening divide within Bangladesh’s political and diplomatic landscape.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar