Hasina must stay silent in India till Bangladesh seeks her extradition: Yunus

In an interview with Press Trust of India, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, Prof Muhammad Yunus, has made a strong case for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's return from India to face trial for atrocities she committed in Bangladesh.

The interview, conducted last Sunday at the Chief Adviser's official residence in Dhaka and released today, reflects the interim government's commitment to ensuring justice for the people of Bangladesh.

"She has to be brought back, or the people of Bangladesh won't be at peace. The kind of atrocities she has committed must be addressed through a trial here," Yunus said.

He criticised Hasina's political remarks from India, calling them an "unfriendly gesture" that causes discomfort in both countries.

"If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," PTI quoted Yunus as saying.

"No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it," he said.

Yunus was apparently referring to Hasina's statement on August 13 in which she demanded "justice", saying those involved in recent "terror acts", killings and vandalism must be investigated, identified and punished.

"It is not good for us or for India. There is discomfort regarding it," he said.

Asked whether Bangladesh has communicated its stance to India, Yunus said it has been conveyed verbally and quite firmly that she should keep quiet.

"Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a people's uprising and public anger," he said.

Yunus said that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move "beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina."

"The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only. India is captivated by this narrative. India needs to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is another neighbour," he said.

Referring to the recent incidents of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and India flagging concerns about it, Yunus said this is just an "excuse".

"The issue of trying to portray the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse," he said.

Asked about ways to improve the India-Bangla relations, Yunus said both the countries need to work together and it is on a downhill presently. "We need to work together to improve this relationship, which is now at a low," he said.

Speaking about the future of bilateral treaties with India, Yunus said there are demands for a relook at certain treaties such as transit and the Adani power deal.

"Everybody is saying that it is needed. We will see what is on paper and, second, what is actually happening on the ground. I can't answer it specifically. If there is any need to review, we will then raise questions about it," he said.