Yunus finds Bangladesh 'liberated'

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has declared Bangladesh a "free country" following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday after weeks of violent protests.

"We were an occupied country as long as she (Sheikh Hasina) was in power. She behaved like an occupation force, a dictator, a general, controlling everything. Today, all the people of Bangladesh feel liberated," Yunus said in an interview with The Print.

Yunus, who has faced over 190 charges under the Awami League government, accused Hasina of destroying her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's legacy. He described the recent violence and vandalism by protesters as expressions of anger against Hasina and "an expression of the damage she has done."

He also expressed hope that the students and young people driving the protests would lead Bangladesh in the right direction in the future.

Yunus explained that the growing anger against Hasina had no political outlet due to a series of allegedly rigged general elections. "So it came out as a simple demand for quota changes. It immediately caught fire because the government reacted the same way—attacking instead of listening, because they are not in a listening mood at all," he told The Print.

Currently out on bail, Yunus hopes to see significant changes once a fair general election is held in Bangladesh. He advised Bangladeshis to learn from past mistakes and adhere to democratic principles. "As long as we stick to that, we remain a strong country. We can be a beautiful country," he added.