Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused the South Asian country’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus of “selling the nation to the United States.” She also condemned the recent ban on her Awami League party, calling it unconstitutional. In an audio message posted on her party’s Facebook account, Bangladesh’s ousted leader reiterated that Yunus seized control of the Bangladesh government with the help of extremist groups.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the transitional leader of the interim government on 7 August 2024, days after student-led protests against the government forced the then-premier Hasina to resign and flee Bangladesh. Hasina’s latest attack came amid reports claiming Yunus has threatened to resign following the military’s call for general elections to be held in Bangladesh in December. 

She claimed Yunus, who gained international recognition under her government, has given the reins of the government to “terrorists”, against whom her government fought. 

“My father did not agree to America’s demands for St. Martin’s Island. He had to give his life for that. And that was my destiny as I never thought of selling the country to stay in power,” she said.

She recalled how Bangladeshi took up arms and fought along with her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, for Bangladesh’s independence and said, “It can’t be anyone’s intention to give up even an inch of that country’s soil to anyone. But what a misfortune it is today. Such a person came to power, a person who is absolutely loved by the people of the whole country, a person who is loved by the world, and what happened to that person today when he came to power?”

Hasina repeated her allegation that Yunus seized power in Bangladesh with the help of extremist groups. “He has seized power with the help of terrorists, even those who are banned in various international arenas, against whom my government protected the people of Bangladesh. After only one terrorist attack, we took strict measures. Many were arrested. Now prisons are empty. They released everyone. Now Bangladesh is the reign of those militants,” she said.

Calling Yunus a “militant leader”, she also attacked the government for banning the Awami League in Bangladesh, calling it both illegal and unconstitutional.

“The constitution of our great Bengali nation, we got it through a long struggle and the liberation war. Who gave this militant leader, who has illegally seized power, the right to touch the constitution? He does not have the mandate of the people and has no constitutional basis. That position (Chief Advisor) also has no basis, and it does not exist. So, how can he change the law without a parliament? This is illegal. They have banned the Awami League,” Hasina added.