Tue Dec 03 01:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Accuses Interim Leader of Orchestrating Violence

**DHAKA** – Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused interim leader Muhammad Yunus of being responsible for the recent surge in violence and uncertainty gripping the nation. Speaking virtually at an Awami League event in New York, Hasina laid the blame for the killings and unrest squarely on Yunus.

Hasina, currently residing in an undisclosed location in India following her hasty departure from Bangladesh in August, claimed Yunus conspired with student groups to incite violent clashes four months ago. These clashes resulted in numerous deaths, she stated, and are now fueling a wave of attacks targeting teachers, police, and, most alarmingly, religious minorities and their places of worship.

“They are filing cases against me today, saying I am responsible for mass killings,” Hasina said. “But it was Muhammad Yunus who plotted those protests with student leaders. Now, attacks are happening on everyone in Bangladesh, targeting minorities and attacking prayer halls. Yunus is the mastermind behind all of this.”

Hasina also reiterated her reasons for fleeing the country, claiming plots were made on her life, echoing the circumstances surrounding her father’s assassination. She stated that she chose to leave to prevent further bloodshed, opting against potentially deadly confrontations with security personnel.

“Plots were made to kill me, just like my father,” she explained. “I could have dealt with them in 25-30 minutes. But if my security had retaliated, many would have died. I didn’t want a bloodbath. If I had stayed for power, there would have been a massacre. I left the country because of the indiscriminate killing of people.”

The recent unrest follows a series of attacks against Hindus and their temples, sparking international concern. The arrest and subsequent denial of bail for Chinmoy Krishnadas, an ISKCON preacher and minority rights activist, further escalated tensions after he was accused of insulting the national flag during a protest against the violence. Protests against Krishnadas’s arrest have also taken place outside of Bangladesh. The situation remains highly volatile.

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