Sheikh Hasina Accuses Interim Leader Muhammad Yunus of Genocide in Explosive Address

In her first public address since stepping down as Bangladesh's prime minister and fleeing the country in August, Sheikh Hasina has leveled serious accusations against interim government chief Muhammad Yunus. Speaking virtually to supporters of her Awami League party during a “Bijoy Dibos” event in New York on Sunday, Hasina alleged that Yunus was responsible for “genocide” and the failure to protect minority communities, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians, in Bangladesh.

The December 16 event commemorated the 1971 liberation war victory, and Hasina’s remarks marked a significant escalation in her feud with Yunus, a Nobel laureate and founder of Grameen Bank. She accused Yunus of corruption, money laundering, and orchestrating the unrest that forced her out of office following student-led protests.

Hasina claimed the protests, which culminated in her departure from Dhaka on August 5, were a coordinated effort to destabilize the government. “Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner,” she said, adding that her security team had been instructed not to open fire on armed protesters storming Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime minister.

She alleged that during the protests, police officers, minority leaders, and Awami League members were killed, while places of worship—including temples, churches, mosques, and Buddhist shrines—were attacked.

“Hindus, Buddhists, Christians—no one has been spared. Eleven churches have been razed, temples and shrines have been desecrated. When Hindus protested, the Iskcon leader was arrested,” she said, referring to the recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges.

Hasina also alleged that there were plans to assassinate her and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, similar to the assassination of their father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975. “I never even got the time to resign,” she said, describing the chaos that preceded her departure.

In response, Yunus’s spokesperson, Shafiqul Alam, dismissed Hasina’s remarks, accusing her of presiding over a “brutal dictatorship” marked by mass killings, enforced disappearances, and political repression. “Sheikh Hasina is a mass murderer...thousands of people were killed and disappeared under her rule,” Alam said, expressing shock that Hasina was allowed to speak publicly from her residence.

Hasina’s remarks come amid strained India-Bangladesh relations, fueled by the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh and the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, which have triggered protests in Indian states bordering Bangladesh. Recently, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry summoned the Indian envoy to protest the storming of its consulate in Agartala by demonstrators.

The caretaker administration, led by Yunus, has suggested it might seek Hasina’s extradition, further escalating tensions.As Bangladesh grapples with domestic turmoil and strained international relations, Hasina’s statements have added to the country’s political uncertainty. With allegations and counter-allegations flying, the future of Bangladesh's governance and its regional ties remain in question.