New York, Sep 30 (V7N) – Principal Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus has dismissed allegations of persecution of Hindu minorities under Bangladesh’s interim government, saying, “There is no Hindu-hating violence in Bangladesh.”

He made the remarks in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hassan of new media outlet GTO on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. The interview was published on Monday (Sept 29).

Rejecting the accusations, Professor Yunus alleged that “one of the specialties of India now is fake news.”

Professor Yunus, who took charge of the interim government after Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a mass uprising in 2024, said he initially hesitated to accept the role. “I was surprised. But I accepted it reluctantly,” he recalled, noting that he told protesters: “If you can give up so much, I will change my decision.”

Why 18 Months for Elections?

When asked why it would take 18 months to hold national elections, Yunus explained that the interim government has three core responsibilities—reform, justice, and elections.
“Some want elections now, others want the interim government to remain for five years. But reforms and justice take time. If we just hold elections, the same problems will return,” he said.

On Awami League

Responding to criticism from figures including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen that suspending the Awami League undermines democracy, Yunus clarified:
“This is a wrong criticism. We have not banned the Awami League. Their activities are only suspended. They cannot carry out political programs or participate in elections for the time being, but they still exist as a party.”

He accused the Awami League of attempting to obstruct the electoral process:
“The Awami League is not behaving like a political party. They have shown no remorse for killing people, taken no responsibility, and only keep blaming others.”

On U.S. Tariffs

On U.S. trade measures, Yunus said Bangladesh is satisfied with the tariffs imposed by Washington, though he did not elaborate further.

END/SMA/AJ