‘…like a dictator’: Bangladesh Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus reacts to Sheikh Hasina's resignation

Bangladesh Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus accused Sheikh Hasina of anti-democratic practices and destroying her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's legacy

Published on: Aug 6, 2024, 06:42:26 IST

By HT News Desk

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Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus described Bangladesh as a “free country” after Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign as prime minister and flee the country after weeks of violent anti-quota protests that finally demanded her resignation.

Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus (C) speaks to the media after filing an appeal for the extension of his bail (File image) (AFP)

“We were an occupied country as long as she (Sheikh Hasina) was there. She was behaving like an occupation force, a dictator, a general, controlling everything. Today all the people of Bangladesh feel liberated,” Muhammad Yunus told ThePrint in an interview.

Also read | Bangladesh Army chief unveils plan to restore ‘normalcy’ in country

Muhammad Yunus, who has been charged by the Awami League government in over 190 cases, accused the fleeing Sheikh Hasina of destroying her father, ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's legacy.

The economist is known for his expertise in microfinance and has his work had lifted lakhs of people out of poverty. Once seen as Sheikh Hasina's potential rival to the country's prime ministership, she accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor.

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner was convicted on charges of embezzling $2 million (more than 16 crore rupees) from the workers welfare fund of Grameen Telecom, one of several firms he founded.

Muhammad Yunus said violence and vandalism by the protesters is the expression of anger against Sheikh Hasina and “an expression of damage she has done”. He also expressed hope that the same students and young people will be leading Bangladesh in the right direction in future.

Also read | Sudden escalation, losing grip caught Sheikh Hasina off-guard

Muhammad Yunus explained that seething anger against Sheikh Hasina could not be expressed in a political way due to a series of rigged general elections. “So that came out as a simple demand for quota changes. It immediately caught up because the government behaved the same way, attacking them rather than listening to them because they are not in a listening mood at all,” Yunus told The Print.

The professor is not sure of what role the opposition party will play as they never had a chance to fairly contest the general elections. Main opposition party Bangladesh National Party (BNP) led by ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, who will be released after Hasina fled, has been under constant attack from the government.

Yunus, currently on bail, hoped to see a lot of changes once a fair general election is held in Bangladesh. As an advice, he asked Bangladeshis to be wary of past mistakes and stick to democratic principles. "As long as we stick to that you remain a strong country. We can be a beautiful country,” he added.

According to The Daily Star, Yunus has accepted a proposal by the coordinators of the protest movement to make him the chief advisor of the soon to be formed interim government.

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HT News Desk
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