Bangladesh leader Muhammad Yunus says ‘no place’ for Sheikh Hasina’s ‘fascist’ party

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has declared there is “no place” for the Awami League in the country’s politics, characterizing the party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as having “all the characteristics of fascism”. In an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate signalled a tough stance against Bangladesh’s oldest and largest political party following Hasina’s overthrow in a student-led uprising this August.

Yunus, who rose to prominence as the founder of Grameen Bank and is known as the “banker to the poor,” indicated his government would not immediately pursue Sheikh Hasina’s extradition from India. This measured approach may help avoid escalating diplomatic tensions with Bangladesh’s influential neighbour. The interim leader explained that any extradition request would only come after a verdict from a domestic criminal tribunal, which recently issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others on charges of crimes against humanity.

Awami League’s future to be determined by political consensus

Yunus, who said he had no intentions of joining politics or forming a political party, emphasized that the Awami League’s future political participation would be determined by a consensus among political parties, not by his interim administration. In the ongoing debate on the Awami League’s future, there have been calls to reform, suspend and ban the party.

Yunus’ interim administration, which includes two student leaders, has established ten commissions to reform key institutions, including the police, judiciary, and public administration. While preparing for new parliamentary elections, Yunus declined to specify a timeline, emphasizing that his government’s priority is to “get things settled and get a new reform agenda done”.

The aftermath of Hasina’s fall has been marked by violence, with the health ministry reporting about 800 people have died, including protesters, bystanders, and police officers. Many Awami League supporters have fled into exile or hiding, while others faced retaliation from opposition groups, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Politics blamed for attacks on minorities

The political transition has strained relations with India, previously Hasina’s strongest foreign supporter. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concerns about the safety of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.

Yunus acknowledged “some incidents” of violence against Hindus and a “very small number” of fatalities. But he argued that they were targeted for their Awami League affiliation, not their religion. “Most of the Hindus [attacked in August] supported the Awami League,” he said, adding that critics had “transformed the narrative”.

Yunus said the lack of support from New Delhi, the country’s key partner in power, water and other infrastructure projects, had “hurt” his government. He added that Modi would be “most welcome” to visit Bangladesh.