(Image source from: Indiatoday.in)
A court in Bangladesh dealing with serious accusations against the removed Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has stated that she should face the highest punishment for crimes against humanity tied to last year's uprising in the neighboring nation. Before the ruling, Hasina claimed the charges against her were untrue and indicated that she was unconcerned about the outcome. In a voice message to her followers prior to the International Crimes Tribunal's decision, the Awami League leader accused the temporary government led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus of wanting to eliminate her party. "It's not that simple; Awami League has grown from the community, not from the pockets of any power grabber," the 78-year-old expressed in Bengali. Hasina asserted that her supporters reacted naturally to protest plans in Bangladesh. "They have given us hope. The people will demonstrate to this corrupt, violent, and murderous Yunus and his supporters how Bangladesh can recover; the people will seek justice," she said. Close to India, Hasina fled to Delhi last year after nationwide protests against her rule escalated into violence. Just before her escape, she stepped down. After she fled, an interim government headed by Yunus came to power and claimed she had committed crimes against humanity. The court handling this case directed Hasina to appear in Dhaka for the trial, but she ignored the notice.
Reassuring her supporters not to be concerned, the seasoned leader stated, "I am here, I will remain here, I will again work for the people's welfare, and I will pursue justice in Bangladesh." Blaming Yunus for taking power illegitimately, she commented that the constitution of Bangladesh indicates that forcibly removing elected officials from their positions is a punishable act. "Yunus has done exactly that through his careful planning," she noted. She mentioned that her government had agreed to the needs of student protesters during last year's uprising, but new demands continued to arise. "The goal was to create chaos." Dismissing the claims of human rights abuses against her administration, she argued, "I provided shelter to a million Rohingya refugees and they accuse me of violating human rights?" She stated that the Yunus-led government granted pardons to those who killed police officers, Awami League members, lawyers, journalists, and cultural figures. "By giving amnesty to such individuals, he has essentially taken the blame upon himself," she pointed out. Hasina remarked that the amnesty denied justice to the family members of the victims. "What sort of humanity is this?" she questioned.
Allow them to make a decision. I am indifferent. God gave me existence, and God will take it away, but I will continue to serve the citizens of my nation. I have lost my mother and father, my brothers and sisters, and they destroyed my house," she expressed.
Condemning the destruction and theft at Gonobhaban, the residence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, following her removal, she stated, "Gonobhaban does not belong to me; it belongs to the government. They claim it is a revolution. Thugs and criminals cannot create a revolution." Emphasizing that such legal decisions will not deter her, Hasina asserted, "I stand with the people. I am reassuring my party members: do not fear; this is just temporary, I understand your pain, we will remember this, and there will be justice. I trust that I will be able to restore it, God willing," she added.
She mentioned that the Awami League government transformed people's lives. "Currently, there is a rise in unemployment. People have no earnings. The nation’s production has halted. Factories are shutting down. Banks are being robbed. We need to liberate Bangladesh from this crisis. Everyone, please take care. Long live Bangladesh, long live Bangladesh," she stated.
