Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has launched a blistering critique of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule, describing it as a "family of bandits" rather than a legitimate government.
In an interview published by The Guardian on Monday (10 March), Yunus accused the former premier’s administration of operating like an autocratic cartel.
"Any order from the boss and it was done. Someone causing trouble? They would disappear. Need to win an election? The results were preordained. Want money? A million-dollar loan would be arranged—never to be repaid," he alleged.
Reflecting on Bangladesh’s condition upon his return in August last year, Yunus painted a bleak picture.
"The damage she inflicted was monumental. The country was devastated—not in the way Gaza's buildings have been reduced to rubble, but through the destruction of institutions, policies, governance, and international credibility," he remarked.
He further accused Hasina’s administration of institutionalising financial corruption, alleging that banks were given a free hand to plunder public funds with full government backing. "Officials armed with guns ensured compliance," he claimed.
Yunus assumed office as chief adviser on 8 August, three days after the Awami League government was toppled by a mass uprising and Hasina fled to India.
In his interview, he warned that while India’s hosting of Hasina could be tolerated, allowing her to leverage Indian soil for political manoeuvres posed a threat to Bangladesh’s stability.
"It is dangerous. It destabilises the country," he cautioned.
Hasina's tenure was marred by widespread allegations of tyranny, electoral fraud, and state-sponsored violence.
The UN estimates that more than 1,400 people were killed during the brutal crackdown against protesters in July, an episode that may constitute crimes against humanity.
Despite concerns about deteriorating law and order, Yunus refuted claims that the streets were now more perilous than under Hasina’s rule. However, there are fears that security may spiral beyond government control.
Last week, Army Chief Gen Waker-UzZaman described the country as being in a "state of anarchy," warning that continued unrest could jeopardise national sovereignty.
Some interpreted his statement as an implicit warning of possible military intervention, though Yunus dismissed concerns of friction with the armed forces, asserting that he maintained a "very good relationship" with the military.
With Hasina now in exile in India, relations between Dhaka and Delhi have deteriorated.
India has shown little interest in mending ties with Yunus’s administration and recently accused Bangladesh of "normalising terrorism," The Guardian reports.
While Bangladesh formally requested Hasina's extradition in December, Yunus admitted that the Indian government had yet to respond.
He insisted, however, that she would face trial for crimes against humanity, even in absentia if necessary.
Complicating matters further, Donald Trump's return to the White House threatens Bangladesh's democratic transition.
The Biden administration had been a key political and financial ally of Yunus, but under Trump, US support appears uncertain.
Bangladesh has already been impacted by Trump's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which had pledged over $1 billion in assistance. In a speech, Trump claimed—without evidence—that USAID funds earmarked for political reform in Bangladesh had instead been used to elect a "radical left communist."
In a bid to engage the US, Yunus has extended an invitation to billionaire Elon Musk to introduce his Starlink satellite internet network in Bangladesh, with sources indicating a possible visit by Musk in April.
As Bangladesh navigates a precarious transition, Yunus remains adamant that the nation’s woes are the direct consequence of Hasina’s rule—a legacy of impunity, corruption, and political oppression.
