A day after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of unleashing “terrorists” and fostering “lawlessness,” Dhaka has reaffirmed that bringing her back from India remains its top priority. Hasina, who fled to India after her government was toppled in a student-led uprising on August 5, 2024, vowed to return and "avenge" the deaths of slain police officers during last year’s violent protests. “The killings were part of his meticulous conspiracy to throw me out of power,” she said. “I will return and avenge the deaths of our policemen,” Hasina said. She accused Yunus of dissolving all inquiry committees and “unleashing terrorists” to butcher people, further alleging, “They are destroying Bangladesh.” She also claimed she narrowly escaped death when her government was overthrown, stating, “By the grace of God, I was kept alive to do something good.” “This government that usurped power has to go and the people have to ensure that. Human rights violations under him (Yunus) have been unprecedented and we have to ensure the people put him out of power.” Dhaka pushes for Hasina’s extradition In response, Bangladesh’s interim administration reiterated that securing Hasina’s extradition from India is its topmost priority. Interim government chief Yunus' press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, stated in a media briefing on Tuesday, “This is the government's top priority. We will continue our efforts to extradite Hasina to hold her trial in person.” He added that while it is up to Bangladesh’s people and political parties to decide whether the Awami League should continue to exist in the country’s political landscape, those allegedly involved in killings, enforced disappearances, and other crimes must face justice. The interim government has cited a report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which accuses Hasina’s administration of committing crimes against humanity. “After the report of the UN and some reports of rights groups were published, pressure has mounted (on India to return Hasina to Bangladesh),” Alam said. India yet to respond officially Bangladesh’s Foreign Office has already sent a diplomatic note requesting Hasina’s repatriation. While New Delhi has acknowledged its receipt, it has not provided any further response. According to a survey by an Indian media group, 55% of Indians support Hasina’s extradition, while a smaller percentage favor sending her to a third country. Only 16-17% support allowing her to remain in India. Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for nearly 16 years, is facing multiple charges, including allegations of crimes against humanity, mass murders, and enforced disappearances. Many of her former cabinet colleagues and senior party officials have been arrested or are on the run. Hasina’s comments come in the wake of the 100-page UN report, titled “Human Rights Violations and Abuses related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh”, which left approximately 1,400 people dead. The report detailed how her government cracked down on protesters, allegedly leading to hundreds of extrajudicial killings. The unrest saw violent mobs storm police stations across the country, with 450 out of 639 stations either destroyed or heavily damaged. At least 44 police officers were killed during the chaos. Following Hasina’s departure, a wave of revenge violence targeted Awami League leaders and supporters, including attacks on minority communities. One of the most symbolic acts of destruction occurred on February 5, when a mob demolished Hasina’s ancestral home at 32 Dhanmondi, which had served as a museum in memory of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The site was leveled with excavators amid widespread anti-Awami League violence. Earlier, in a media interview, Yunus called on India to silence Hasina, claiming that her remarks had inflamed tensions in Bangladesh.
