Hasina must stay silent in Delhi until Dhaka seeks extradition: Yunus

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's political remarks from India are an "unfriendly gesture." He asserted that she must remain silent to avoid causing discomfort between both nations until Dhaka formally requests her extradition.

In an interview with the Indian state-run news agency PTI at his Dhaka residence, Yunus emphasised Bangladesh's desire for strong ties with India. 

However, he urged New Delhi to move beyond the narrative that portrays all political parties, except the Awami League, as Islamist, warning that this view oversimplifies the country's political landscape. 

"If India wants to keep her until Bangladesh requests her return, the condition is that she must remain silent," Yunus remarked. 

He stressed that her presence and occasional public comments from India were problematic, stating, "No one is comfortable with her stance there. We want her back to try her. She’s giving instructions from India, which is causing discomfort."

Yunus referenced Hasina’s August 13 statement, in which she demanded "justice" for those involved in recent violent acts in Bangladesh. "It’s not good for us or India. There is discomfort about it," Yunus said, adding that Bangladesh has conveyed its stance verbally and firmly to Indian authorities, requesting that Hasina refrain from making public statements while in India.

Hasina fled to India following unprecedented student-led uprising that culminated on August 5. Her continued presence in India has sparked widespread speculation in Bangladesh about her future role. 

Yunus iterated the interim government’s commitment to ensuring justice for the Bangladeshi people, stating, "She must be brought back. The atrocities she committed demand a public trial in Bangladesh."

On the broader India-Bangladesh relationship, Yunus expressed a desire for improved ties but insisted that India must abandon the narrative that only Sheikh Hasina can maintain the country’s stability. "India has to move beyond the belief that everyone else is Islamist and that Bangladesh will become Afghanistan without Hasina. We are a sovereign neighbor," he said.

Yunus also addressed concerns about the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh, dismissing claims of widespread violence against them as exaggerated. "Portraying the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse," he said, though recent student-led protests have led to vandalism and attacks on Hindu-owned properties and temples.

Referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech on August 15, where Modi expressed concern for the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, Yunus acknowledged the need for both countries to work together to improve their strained relationship. "We need to work together to lift our relationship from its current low point," he said.

On the issue of bilateral treaties, Yunus mentioned that there are demands within Bangladesh to reassess certain agreements, including the Adani electricity deal. "We will review what’s on paper and what’s actually happening. If necessary, we’ll raise questions," he noted. 

The opposition BNP has already indicated that it would review the deal if voted into power, citing concerns over its impact on Bangladesh's economy.