Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, has issued a sharp rebuke of the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) under ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Yunus stated that the AL has displayed “all the characteristics of fascism” over the past 15 years. According to Yunus, the AL currently has “no place” in Bangladesh’s political sphere.

Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, clarified that his administration would not immediately pursue Hasina’s extradition from India. He stated that they would wait until a domestic tribunal issues a verdict on her pending charges before making any moves. Yunus believes this approach could help avoid unnecessary diplomatic strain with India, which has backed Hasina during her rule. “In the short run, definitely she has no place—the Awami League doesn’t have a place—in Bangladesh,” Yunus said. He stressed, “No fascist party should be in existence in a democratic system.”

Hasina and her party have faced numerous accusations. Political opponents and rights groups have alleged that her administration manipulated elections, committed extrajudicial killings, and controlled state institutions. With Hasina now exiled, many Bangladeshis are debating the AL's future. Suggestions range from suspension to reform, or even banning the party entirely.

Yunus believes the AL could break apart, but he emphasized that his administration is “not a political government” and would not decide the party’s future. Any decision on the AL’s role in future elections would, he said, be decided by a “consensus” among other political groups. “They have to decide their political space,” Yunus stated.

Currently, Hasina’s whereabouts in India are unclear. Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, a former AL lawmaker and party organizing secretary, said the party was “ready at any time to join the election,” signaling the AL’s willingness to continue in politics despite these allegations.

Yunus, a former economics professor and founder of Grameen Bank, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. He became a target of Hasina’s government in what her critics described as a political vendetta. Yunus’s interim cabinet includes two student leaders and is focused on laying the groundwork for elections. The interim government has also formed 10 commissions to reform institutions like the judiciary, police, and public administration. Yunus said he had no intention of forming a political party or joining politics, emphasizing his role as a caretaker. “Our job is to get things settled and get a new reform agenda done,” he said. “When the election preparation is done, we will consult with political parties.”

The removal of Hasina has strained Bangladesh’s relationship with India, her largest foreign supporter. Since August, there have been Indian concerns about the safety of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority. After Hasina’s ousting, many Awami League supporters went into exile or hiding, and there were reports of violent retribution. Around 800 people, including protesters and bystanders, were reportedly killed during the August unrest, according to Bangladesh’s health ministry. Human rights groups have not confirmed India’s allegations of targeted violence against Hindus.

Yunus acknowledged “some incidents” of violence affecting the Hindu community but insisted that political affiliation was the primary factor, not religion. “Most of the Hindus (attacked in August) supported the Awami League,” he explained. Critics, he claimed, had “transformed the narrative.”

India’s support is vital to Bangladesh, given their shared resources and infrastructure. Yunus admitted that the lack of support from New Delhi has “hurt” his administration but emphasized Bangladesh’s need for strong ties with its neighbor. He also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Bangladesh, saying, “We tried to . . . emphasize the fact that we are neighbors, we need each other, we must have the best relationship that any two neighbors should have.”

This measured approach on Hasina’s extradition, combined with Yunus’s critique of the AL, has made clear his intent to chart a different course for Bangladesh’s political future.
 

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