Sheikh Hasina Brands Yunus A 'Terror-Age' Puppet, Urges Uprising To Overthrow Regime Ahead Of Feb 12 Polls

New Delhi: Blasting Interim Government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the country "has plunged into an age of terror" and "there is a treacherous plot to barter away the territory and resources of Bangladesh to foreign interests".

She called on people of the country to "overthrow Yunus regime". Bangladesh is slated to go for national elections on February 12 and activities of Sheikh Hasina's party Awami League have been banned. Its registration has been suspended.

"Bangladesh stands today at the edge of an abyss, a nation battered and bleeding, navigating one of the most perilous chapters in its history. The homeland won through the supreme Liberation War under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is now ravaged by the monstrous onslaught of extremist communal forces and foreign perpetrators. Our once serene and fertile land has been reduced to a wounded, blood-soaked landscape. In truth, the entire country has become a vast prison, an execution ground, a valley of death," she said in a pre-recorded audio message played out at an event in the national capital.

This was Sheikh Hasina's first address to a gathering in India since she came to the country in the wake of violent protests in August 2024.

She said everywhere one hears only the cries of people struggling to survive amid destruction, "a desperate plea for life, heart-rending screams for relief".

"The murderous fascist Yunus, a usurer, a money launderer, a plunderer, and a corrupt, power-hungry traitor, has bled our nation dry with his all-consuming .....paradigms, staining the soul of our motherland. On August 5, 2024, in a meticulously engineered conspiracy, the national enemy, the murderous fascist Yunus, and his anti-state militant accomplices forcibly ousted me, though I am the people's representative directly elected. From that day forward, the nation has been plunged into an age of terror, merciless, relentless, and suffocating. Democracy is now in exile," she said.

"Human rights have been trampled into the dust. Freedom of the press has been extinguished. Violence, torture, and sexual assault against women and girls remain unchecked. Life and property have no security. Religious minorities face continuous persecution. Law and order have collapsed," she added.

The Awami League leader said the "frenzy of militant extremists" has cast a pall of fear across the nation.

"From the capital to the remotest villages, mob terror, mass looting, armed robbery, and extortion reign supreme. Our institutions of learning are plagued by chaos, and justice has become a nightmare...Even more dangerously, there is a treacherous plot to barter away the territory and resources of Bangladesh to foreign interests. By betraying the nation, the murderous fascist Yunus is pushing our beloved motherland toward the furnace of a multinational conflict," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that in this grave hour, the entire nation must rise united and "galvanized by the spirit of our great Liberation War". She termed Yunus as "national enemy".

"To overthrow the foreign-serving puppet regime of this national enemy at any cost, the brave sons and daughters of Bangladesh must defend and restore the Constitution written in the blood of martyrs, reclaim our independence, safeguard our sovereignty, and revive our democracy," she said.

"Let us, all democratic, progressive, and non-communal forces of the pro-Liberation camp, take a solemn oath to build a humane and welfare-oriented democratic state and to confront with early resolve the treacherous designs of the murderous fascist and his collaborators," she added.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is stifled by "an unelected violent regime whose false promises have quickly been supplanted by chaos, violence, hatred, and corruption".

"Faced with lawlessness and erosion of your democratic rights, your courage and strength are tested daily. Please do not give up now," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that Awami League is independent Bangladesh's oldest and most important political party, inexplicably interwoven with our country's culture and democracy, defender of Bangladesh's proud traditions of political and religious pluralism, and the committed upholder of our laws and Constitution.

"At this darkest time for our countrymen and women, we reaffirm our determination to help you restore the thriving homeland that was snatched away from you."

She called for action to help unify Bangladesh and banish the divisive actions of the past twelve months and outlined five "crucial steps" to lead to "a better and stronger" country.

"First, restore democracy by removing the illegal Yunus administration. Bangladesh will never experience free and fair elections until the shadow of the Yunus clique is lifted from the people of Bangladesh. Only then can we start a process, including the Awami League, to bring power back to the people," she said.

"Second, put an end to the daily acts of violence we are seeing on our streets. We must end the lawlessness to stabilize the country, allow civic services to function properly, and create a platform on which our economy can once again thrive....
"...Third, deliver an ironclad guarantee ensuring the safety of religious minority groups, women and girls, and the most vulnerable in our society. Too often we see people targeted for who they are and what they believe in. This must end, and every Bangladeshi must feel safe within their own community....
"....Fourth, end politically motivated acts of lawfare used to intimidate, silence, and jail journalists and members of the Bangladesh Awami League and opposition political parties. Restore our trust in the judicial system, ensuring it functions properly as an impartial and noble institution," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the United Nations should conduct a new and truly impartial investigation into the events of the past year.

"We need the purification of truth in order to reconcile, heal, and move forward as countrymen, rejecting the selfish pursuit of vengeance. The interim government has failed to listen to your voices, but together we are strong, and together we can make our demands heard," she said.

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