Sheikh Hasina speaks out for the first time after fall of her government, seeks release of ISKCON leader ‘without delay’

‘Power-grabber’ Yunus government failed in ‘all sectors’, says Hasina

Speaking out for the first time since the fall of her government on August 5, Awami League Leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (November 28, 2024) called for the release of an ISKCON leader arrested by the authorities in Bangladesh ‘without delay’. In a statement issued by the Awami League, Ms. Hasina condemned the murder of an assistant public prosecutor in communal clashes in Chittagong that erupted on Tuesday, and called upon the people of Bangladesh to confront the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in a “united” manner.

“A top leader of Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released without delay. A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, mazars, churches, monasteries and houses of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalised, looted and burnt. Religious freedom and security of life and property of all communities must be protected,” said Ms. Hasina in the statement.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a leading figure of the Bangladesh Sommilito Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested on Tuesday on charges of disrespecting the national flag during a protest rally in Chittagong on October 25. Mr. Das who is a leading figure of ISKCON in Bangladesh had led similar rallies in Dhaka and Rangpur in the northern part of Bangladesh.

His arrest and subsequent denial of bail on Tuesday triggered a clash between supporters of Mr. Das and the police, which led to the murder of an assistant public prosecutor. The police on Wednesday arrested six individuals accusing them to be members of the student wing – Chhatra League – of Ms. Hasina’s party.

The Yunus government earlier complained that Ms. Hasina had been reaching out to her supporters while being based in India and warned her to stay ‘silent’. After a few audio and video conversations surfaced in social media that purportedly showed her in conversation with Awami League leaders inside the country, the authorities in Dhaka reached out to Interpol to seek her extradition to Bangladesh. Earlier, Ms. Hasina’s U.S.-based son Shajeeb Wazed Joy had spoken to the media about the political situation in Dhaka, but this is the first time that Ms. Hasina herself has spoken out regarding the prevailing unrest in Bangladesh.

Ms Hasina also expressed her “strong condemnation” for the killing of the assistant public prosecutor in Chittagong and said, “Those connected with this murder must be apprehended and should be brought to justice quickly.”

“A lawyer was beaten to death when he went to perform his professional duties. Those who carried out this murder are terrorists and they must be brought to justice,” said Ms. Hasina.

Referring to the killing of the lawyer in Chittagong, Ms. Hasina called for justice for the people who suffered because of similar assaults during the past three months in Bangladesh and said, “If the Yunus government which has seized power unconstitutionally, fails to punish these terrorists, it will also face punishment for human rights violations. I appeal to the people of the country to stand united against this kind of terrorism and militancy.”

She called out the Yunus government for the economic hardships that are confronting Bangladesh and said, “The current power-grabbers have failed in all sectors. They failed to control the prices of daily essential goods, failed to provide security for people’s lives. I strongly condemn these direct and indirect assaults on the common people.”

Since the fall of her government on August 5, the interim government under the leadership of Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus has been influenced by the young student advisers and student coordinators many of whom played important roles in carrying out the people’s movement that had dislodged the Hasina government. In the aftermath of the political change, Bangladesh witnessed a large number of mob justice incidents in which often people belonging to the erstwhile ruling party – Awami League – and police personnel were targeted. Ms. Hasina condemned the killings and said, “Numerous activists and leaders of Awami League, students and common people and members of the law enforcement agencies were killed. That apart they are being targeted with legal cases and assaults and arrests. I strongly condemn and protest against these anarchical activities.”

Published - November 28, 2024 06:27 pm IST