Deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued a strong warning against threats to ban her Awami League party, calling the demands "audacious" and accusing Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus of being a "fraud" and "corrupt" for his role in the current interim government. Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 following a student-led uprising, claims Yunus assumed power through a "meticulous design" with funding from overseas and misled students and people. She asserts that her Awami League is the legitimate party, with a strong history of fighting for the people's rights, and accuses Yunus and his supporters of having no constitutional basis or people's mandate to rule the country.
According to the complaint, Awami League leaders and activists attacked the protesters and hacked Hossain to death with sharp weapons.
The Awami League leaders were charged with committing crimes against humanity over the deaths of hundreds of people during last year's anti-government protests by a student platform. The protests resulted in the ouster of Hasina's 16-year-long regime on August 5.
Bangladesh's Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will skip the first-ever BIMSTEC home ministers' meeting in New Delhi, with a senior bureaucrat leading the delegation. This absence underscores strained India-Bangladesh ties, particularly following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024 and Dhaka's request for her extradition from India.
Videos on social media showed protesters climbing a statue of Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a 1971 Liberation War hero, in Dhaka and smashing it with hammers.
A new murder case has been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 62 others, including ex-ministers of her cabinet, over the death of a fish trader during the quota reform protests in the country, a media report said on Monday.
In her first public statement after her ouster on August 5, 76-year-old Hasina said several lives have been lost in violence in the name of agitation since July.
Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed outrage over deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's media interaction in New Delhi, saying the event has hurt the sentiments of its people and could adversely affect efforts to improve bilateral ties with India.
She is scheduled to reach Dhaka at 4 pm on Monday.
'She delivers on promises, especially on security issues which is a core concern for India.'
India needs to address Bangladesh's longstanding concerns to improve bilateral ties between Dhaka and New Delhi, Hossain said adding: Bangladesh's previous (ousted) government addressed the concerns of India, but India did not address Bangladesh's concerns.
'Are we supposed to look the other way as Islamists go on a rampage against Hindus and the Hasina government pay lip service to secularism?' A revealing excerpt from Avishek Biswas and Deep Halder's book, Being Hindu In Bangladesh: The Untold Story.
Bangladesh has not yet decided on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India for the upcoming BRICS summit, with his office stating that Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi's response to its request for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other 'fugitive criminals' currently residing in India.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been chosen for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development this year for her "outstanding contribution to the promotion of democracy and pluralism".
Hasina said she left Bangladesh in August with an aim to stop the violence. However, the situation has deteriorated further, she said.
The application accuses Hasina and others of orchestrating a violent crackdown on student protestors, resulting in widespread casualties and human rights violations.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, highlighted the importance of dialogue in resolving bilateral issues between India and Bangladesh, expressing optimism for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India. His remarks come amidst diplomatic strains over Bangladesh's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose virtual media interaction from New Delhi caused outrage in Dhaka.
The murders took place in October 2006.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has drawn a parallel between the CJP-led protest in Delhi and the 2024 student movement in Bangladesh that ousted Sheikh Hasina's regime, warning that the Bangladesh stir 'fooled us' and was ultimately taken over by 'jihadis'.
Talking to reporters after placing a wreath at the grave of former president and BNP founder Zia-ur Rahman in the city, Fakhrul said India is seemingly not keeping its commitment towards democracy by providing shelter to her.
Bangladesh has stated there is "no rush" for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India, emphasising that Dhaka will not compromise its national interests. State Minister Humaiun Kobir indicated the visit would occur after sufficient bilateral progress. The visit is crucial for mending India-Bangladesh ties, which have been strained, particularly following the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh's subsequent extradition request.
Sheikh Hasina was on Thursday sworn in as the prime minister of Bangladesh for the fifth term, days after her Awami League won an overwhelming majority in the general elections boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies.
Hasina, who is in the United States on a private visit, was expected to return home on April 23.
The Election Commission has so far announced 'unofficial' results of 295 seats of the 300-seat parliament saying, the Hasina's alliance won 258 seats while her archrival ex-premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four-party grouping won in 31 constituencies.
The British Airways flight that was to take her to Dhaka declined to issue her a boarding pass despite her having a valid ticket on the ground that Bangladesh government has banned her from entering the territory of that country.
The warrants were issued in line with a case filed by fundamentalist Jamat-i-Islami party in which it charged Hasina and her party leaders with the murder of their five activists during a political clash on October 28 last year.
The leader of the opposition in Bangladesh is on a five day trip to India.
She was supposed to return on April 23 but the caretaker government imposed a ban on her return, issued arrest warrant and asked the British Airways not to issue her a boarding pass. The ban was lifted on April 25.
Wajed has gone deaf in her right ear after suffering an injury in a grenade attack at a rally last year.
The former prime minister was elected unopposed, but in a major shake up many party veterans were dropped.
Stating that an investigation team will work under the full supervision of the United Nations to ensure complete transparency and impartiality, he said, "None of the outgoing government involved in the murder will be exempted."
The joint forces also arrested the assistant personal secretary to former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and one of Babar's cousins.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reiterated its demand for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India to face trial in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for equal and respectful relations with all neighboring countries.
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Wajed was on Tuesday sworn in as the new prime minister of Bangladesh, a week after her party led grand alliance swept the general elections, winning three fourths of the 300 parliamentary seats.President Iajuddin Ahmad administered the oath of office at Bangabhaban presidential palace, and the event was attended by over a thousand guests including the chief adviser of the interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed.
The two sides are expected to ink an agreement on interim sharing of water of the Kushiyara river during Hasina's visit.
Hasina was arrested on charges of extortion.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will fly to New Delhi on Wednesday to attend the funeral of Suvra Mukherjee, the wife of President Pranab Mukherjee.
Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kobir, announced that the country seeks to "reset" its relationship with India, moving towards a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests. He described ties during the previous government's tenure as "uncomfortable" and emphasised the need for Bangladesh to approach India as "just another country," focusing on balanced relations rather than an "excessive preoccupation." This comes after Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not attend the BRICS Summit in India.
Hossain said they will "always try to maintain good relations" with India.
Shringla visited Dhaka in March last after assuming office of the Indian Foreign Secretary in January this year.
