Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Taking a hard line on the party of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus ruled out the Awami League’s prospects of returning to the political fray in the short run.
“In the short run, definitely she has no place — the Awami League doesn’t have a place — in Bangladesh,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT), accusing the party of ‘exhibiting all the characteristics of fascism’.
“They controlled the people, they controlled the [political] machinery, they controlled the institutions to enhance their interest,” he added. “No fascist party should be in existence in a democratic system.”
In reply to questions on the interim government’s stance on bringing back Sheikh Hasina, who has been in India since her ouster on August 5, the chief adviser said his interim government would not immediately seek the extradition of Sheikh Hasina from India.
He also said the government may take initiatives to bring her back to the country after getting a verdict in cases filed against her with the relevant courts.
“She is charged with crimes against humanity . . . when the verdict comes out, we’ll try to get her back through the extradition treaty” with India, he said. “I don’t think we have a case to do that before a verdict is done.”
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus said the decision on the scope of Awami League’s participation in a future election would be taken by a ‘consensus’ among political parties.
“They have to decide their political space,” he said.