Yunus ready to welcome Modi in visit to Bangladesh, attributes persecution of Hindus to political affiliation, to decide on banning Awami League upon consensus
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, October 30, 2024
The chief advisor of Bangladesh’s incumbent interim government Dr Md Yunus has indirectly rued the lack of co-operation from closest neighbour, India to his government, expressing his readiness to welcome Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to his country. Dr Yunus made this position clear in an interview with the London-based Financial Times newspaper which published the interview today. He said that he was ‘hurt’ by the lack of support from New Delhi , a key partner in terms of shared projects and historical ties. Modi would be ‘,most welcome’ to visit Bangladesh, he said.
Dr Yunus also significantly attributed the widely reported persecution of minority Hindus in the wake of the ouster of the Awami League government to their political affiliation with the Awami League ,saying religious identity had nothing to do with this. “Very few people died but the incidents happened on political grounds and because of their affiliation with the Awami League and not owing to their religious identity ; the narrative was transformed ” said Dr Yunus. He also gave a clear indication that his government will press for extradition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India by invoking the extradition treaty with India once the ongoing proceeding against her in the international tribunal for crimes is over .
To a query on the banning Awami League from Bangladesh politics and participation in election he said that a decision in this regard will be arrived at on the basis of consensus among political parties . “The political parties are seized of the issue and a decision will be taken on the basis of consensus , the Awami League and its supreme leader Sheikh Hasina are charged with crimes against humanity” said Dr Yunus. He denied having any political ambition and said that he would not take part in active party politics. “At present we are busy reforming the system of governance and institutions ; altogether 10 reform commissions have been constituted to give a face-lift to and remove the flawed functioning of the police, civil service, judiciary, election commission etc ;they will give recommendations and we will implement them and then fresh elections will be held” said Dr Md Yunus.