New Delhi: Muhammad Yunus and his “Islamist allies” are to blame for the attacks on offices of two prominent Bangladeshi dailies last night, Mohammad Ali Arafat—who was information minister in ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s government—told ThePrint Friday.
On Thursday, demonstrations in Bangladesh over the assassination of a youth movement leader took a violent turn as mobs attacked offices of dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.
Sharif Osman Hadi, was shot by masked attackers while leaving a mosque in Dhaka. He died while under treatment in Singapore. A part of the youth-led movement that ousted Hasina, Hadi was planning to contest the upcoming general election as an independent.
Talking about violence that followed Hadi’s assassination, Arafat in a telephonic interview with ThePrint also accused Yunus, who heads the interim government, of inflaming “anti-Indian sentiment through his reckless comments”. He also said an election held without his party, Awami League, would “never be credible” and that the Bangladesh Army “seems to have struck” a deal with Yunus—remain silent as the country slides into chaos.
Here are excerpts from the interview.
Who would you blame for last night’s violence?
Yunus and his Islamist allies are behind last night’s attack on the press. These are the same actors who carried out a campaign of extreme violence against our government during July-August 2024. What occurred then was nothing less than a full-scale insurgency, yet it sadly went largely unnoticed by the international community. Now, however, the true face of these insurgents is becoming clear to everyone.
Since taking over, he has consistently made excuses for mob violence by this (sic) same Islamist groups whenever it has suited him. The destruction of Bangabandhu residence at Road 32 was documented live—has anyone been brought to justice? Even when Hindu communities were attacked, Yunus attempted to justify the violence by claiming they were targeted because they were Awami League supporters. He has also inflamed anti-Indian sentiment through his reckless comments. Therefore, the blame falls squarely on Dr Yunus.
Did the Yunus administration fail completely to contain the law and order situation in Bangladesh?
One of the first things Yunus did after seizing power was to grant a blanket amnesty to those who killed police officers, set police stations on fire, and destroyed public property. What do you think that does to the morale of law enforcement? Every law enforcement unit has now effectively been turned into an Awami League-hunting force. Just look at what the Law Advisor said yesterday: arrest Awami League members—no need to file cases. How many political figures have been arrested without charge and denied bail? How many journalists have been detained under the Anti-Terror Act? You cannot ensure law and order when your primary objective is to destroy the Awami League and suppress all forms of dissent. Whenever mobs attacked dissenters, the perpetrators were allowed to go free, while the victims were framed with false charges and sent to jail. What outcome can you expect from this kind of practice that Yunus has put in motion?
Is Osman Hadi’s death being politicised by the Yunus administration?
Yunus has been playing politics with bodies since last August. Many innocent people tragically lost their lives in July-August, and many more have died since then. Yet they only acknowledge the deaths that serve their interests, using them for political gain instead of delivering real justice.
Tarique Rahman is scheduled to return on 25 December. Do you feel his return will change things on the ground?
Tarique Rahman has been away from Bangladesh for 18 years. No one knows what he has been doing in London all this time. Did he have a job? The last time he was in Bangladesh, he was in jail facing very serious allegations of corruption and terrorism, for which he was later convicted. Even the FBI testified in his cases. Yunus dismissed all the charges. So I do not know how much we can expect from Tarique Rahman.
A Hindu man was lynched, and set on fire. There was a mob that recorded it on the phone. How did Bangladesh come to this pass?
It is not uncommon for countries to have grievances against a larger neighbour. Our government pursued a policy of mutual benefit, focusing on shared economic development and zero tolerance for terrorism to promote peace and prosperity for all. Yunus has undone much of that progress through his dog-whistle politics. He relies on this mob for support, but it is an Islamist mob—and when they speak of being anti-India, what they often mean is anti-Hindu.
Also Read: MEA summons Bangladesh envoy over threat to Dhaka mission, calls on Yunus to probe ‘false narrative’
Under such circumstances is February polls feasible?
An election held without the Awami League, without a level playing field, and under Yunus’s authority would never be credible. I would be very interested to hear the EU’s position, especially since it plans to send a full observer mission under such conditions. It seems there is one set of standards for wealthy countries and another for the rest of the world.
Why is no action being taken against YouTubers like Eliyas Hossain and Pinaki Bhattacharya. Why are their social media accounts not banned in Bangladesh?
No comment.
Why do you feel some former US diplomats are constantly baiting the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina on X. What do they gain from this?
They are merely paid brokers, heavily funded by Yunus and the Islamist parties from Bangladesh. These individuals have already proven themselves to be discredited in the eyes of the US State Department. I don’t give much importance to them, as they hold little credibility or influence within the DC circles anyway.
What is the role of the Bangladesh Army in all of this?
The highest number of deaths occurred last year after the army took over. Yet do you see the army chief being held accountable in any way? Instead, a deal seems to have been struck: remain silent, support Yunus’s anti–Awami League agenda, and stand by as the country slides into chaos.
Finally, if media is attacked in this way, who will report on Bangladesh now?
More than 256 journalists have been falsely implicated in murder and other charges. None of the pro-’71 liberal voices are able to speak to the media. Only a few who have been even slightly critical are being arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act and sent to jail. Now, a third wave of attacks is targeting the media, with the offices of two major news outlets set on fire. You should ask Yunus about this—he likely does not want anyone from Bangladesh reporting on his misconduct.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
Also Read: Bangladesh polls and return of BNP’s Tarique Rahman—why Jamaat-e-Islami holds the key to both
Honorable Sir,
We, the general people of Bangladesh, humbly submit that we are expressing deep concern over the country’s independence, sovereignty, and security. An analysis of various tragic events that have occurred from the great Liberation War of 1971 up to 2024-25 makes it clear that our patriotic forces and talented sons have been systematically assassinated.
The conspiracy that began with the killing of intellectuals in 1971 has continued in various phases thereafter. In particular, the killing of 57 patriotic army officers in Pilkhana in 2009, the brutal murder of the talented BUET student Abrar Fahad, and the killings of countless patriotic and Islamist leaders, including political leader Osman Hadi—we believe all these are linked by a single thread. Although these matters remained shrouded in mystery until now, in the current context, it has become clear to the people that these killings were not mere accidents. Rather, there are allegations that, with the assistance of the previous autocratic government, the neighboring country India and its intelligence agency orchestrated these killings according to a blueprint.
The main objective of these activities is to render Bangladesh devoid of intellect and leadership, weaken its defense system, and allow India to establish exploitation and control over this country. Abrar Fahad was killed for opposing unequal agreements related to India’s interests, BNP leader Ilias Ali was abducted and killed for revealing information about Bangladesh’s agreements with India to the media, and after August 5, 2024, Osman Hadi was a vocal protester against India—Osman Hadi was killed for opposing India—which proves that silencing patriotic voices was their aim.
In this stu”pid Arafat, the autocracy is the agent of Sheikh Hasina, for which they are blaming good people like Yunus. Countless media outlets in the country are conducting their activities very independently. But after Sheikh Hasina fled to India, Hasina’s people, with the help of the Indian government, are causing this fire and blaming Yunus and making Yunus controversial.