People won’t forgive us if justice is denied
News Desk :
Bangladesh’s interim government leader has vowed that key figures from the ousted Sheikh Hasina regime will not escape justice.
Muhammad Yunus told The National that the former prime minister and her senior officials would be pursued and brought back to face the full force of the law.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was appointed chief adviser to the interim government last summer after Sheikh Hasina fled the country following the storming of her official residence by protesters. She had ruled under a one-party system for 15 years.
Her security forces and supporters were responsible for an estimated 1,400 deaths during student protests in July and August, with a further 11,000 people injured. She remains in exile in India.
“We have issued a notice to India requesting Sheikh Hasina’s repatriation – we possess substantial evidence, including the UN High Commissioner’s Report on Human Rights,” Mr Yunus told The National at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
“We will bring her to justice. This must happen; otherwise, the people will not forgive us.”
Muhammad Yunus
“This serves as a testament to their actions. The UN has documented these events, and we have extensive evidence detailing what she, her government, and her close supporters have done to the country.
“We have already initiated the legal process, and we hope it will continue so that justice is served. It is imperative, or the people will not forgive us.”
Among those killed by security forces during the uprising, an estimated 13 per cent were children. Additionally, Bangladeshi police reported that 44 officers were killed.
‘A wonderful gesture’
The protests extended beyond Bangladesh, with demonstrations occurring among the country’s diaspora, including in the UAE. At the peak of the unrest, 53 demonstrators in the UAE were arrested and imprisoned but were later released following a personal appeal by Prof Yunus to President Sheikh Mohamed.
This marked the beginning of efforts to rebuild relations with the UAE and the wider region, Prof Yunus said.
“Our relationship with the UAE is excellent,” he stated. “The UAE detained some Bangladeshis who were demonstrating in support of the events unfolding in Bangladesh because they had violated local laws.