Wed Dec 04 15:41:46 UTC 2024: ## Ousted Bangladesh PM Accuses Interim Leader of Genocide, Plots Assassination
**New York/New Delhi** – Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched a scathing attack on interim leader Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of genocide and failing to protect religious minorities in a virtual address Sunday. Speaking at a New York event commemorating Bangladesh’s “Vijay Diwas,” Hasina, who has been in self-imposed exile in India since August, alleged a systematic persecution of Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians, citing the destruction of religious sites and the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Hasina claimed Yunus is the mastermind behind this alleged genocide, further alleging a plot to assassinate her and her sister, likening it to the 1975 assassination of their father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She described her hasty departure from Bangladesh in August as a necessary measure to prevent further violence following the storming of her official residence. She denied accusations of genocide leveled against her, stating that she left the country to try and stop the violence.
India, which has expressed serious concern over the rising violence against minorities in Bangladesh, echoed Hasina’s concerns. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s call for the interim government to uphold its responsibility to protect all minorities, expressing alarm at the surge in extremist rhetoric and violence. India specifically mentioned its hope for a just resolution in the case of the arrested Hindu monk. The situation has strained relations between the two nations. Hasina’s accusations and India’s public statement add fuel to the already tense political climate in Bangladesh.
First Piper 