Bangladesh's Yunus vows to bring Sheikh Hasina regime figures to justice

There must be punishment for officials whose orders left 1,400 dead and 11,000 injured, government chief adviser tells The National

Bangladesh's interim government leader says he will not allow key figures from the ousted Sheikh Hasina regime to escape punishment.

Muhammad Yunus told The National that the former prime minister and her senior officials would be sought out and returned home 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 when her official residence was stormed by protesters. She had presided over one-party rule for 15 years. Her police and supporters killed an estimated 1,400 people in student protests in July and August, with another 11,000 injured. She fled to India, where she remains in exile.

“We have sent notice to India that Sheikh Hasina should be repatriated – we have lots of evidence, including the UN High Commissioner’s Report on Human Rights,” Mr Yunus told The National at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

We'll bring her to justice. It has to happen, otherwise people will not forgive us

Muhammad Yunus

“This is a testimonial to everything they have done. The UN has documented this and we have stacks of evidence of what she and her government, and her immediate supporters, have done to the country.

“We have already started the legal process, so we are hoping that the legal process will continue and we'll bring her to justice. It has to happen, otherwise people will not forgive us.”

Of those shot and killed by security forces during the uprising, 13 per cent are believed to have been children. Police in Bangladesh also reported 44 of its officers were killed.

People wave flags from the Ganabhaban, the prime ministerial residence in Dhaka, celebrating the resignation of Sheikh Hasina from office on August 5 last year. Reuters

'A wonderful gesture'

Protests spilt into the diaspora of Bangladeshis around the world, including in the UAE. At the height of the unrest, 53 of those protesting in the UAE were arrested and jailed but later released after a personal call from Mr Yunus to President Sheikh Mohamed.

It was the start of a rebuilding of relations with the UAE and wider region, Mr Yunus said.

“Our relationship with the UAE is fantastic,” he said. “The UAE put some Bangladeshis who were demonstrating on the street in support of what was happening in Bangladesh in jail, because they violated the local law.

“When I took over as the head of the interim government, I appealed to the President of the UAE, I explained to him why they did it. It’s not because they are doing something which is not desirable, they were simply expressing their enthusiasm and support for the things happening in Bangladesh.

“I hoped he could forgive them and let them come out of jail and I was very happy that he immediately did that. It was a wonderful gesture and the whole of Bangladesh celebrated that," he added.

“I feel so happy that the President of the UAE has released these prisoners at my request. Our relationship is very good because we have 1.2 million Bangladeshis working here [in the UAE]. It's very important for us.”

Sheikh Hasina fled to India in the face of mass public protests in Bangladesh. AFP

Domestic reform

Attention for Mr Yunus and his advisers has now tuned to domestic reform, in an attempt to rebuild a more prosperous, secure nation with a strong, democratically elected leadership.

Six commissions have been established to reform several sectors of society, including the judiciary, electoral system, police and administration. Meanwhile, an anti-corruption commission will get to work on recovering government funds stolen or misused by the previous administration.

The reforms aim to build a more secure state system based on public ownership, welfare and accountability, placing more control into the hands of Bangladesh's 174 million population.

"Our immediate target is to restore law and order as soon as possible, and fix the economy so it is functioning again, along with the banking system," Mr Yunus said.

"We take these recommendations and go to all the political parties and civil societies to ask which one you would like to implement now, which one you would like to implement in the future and which one you don't want to implement at all.

"That's the limit of our government. Then we will be happy to have a decent election for the first time in 16 years – a reliable, visible and transparent election. People will celebrate and our job will be done."

Speaking on stage in Dubai earlier, Mr Yunus told an audience he would be pleased to step aside when his task is complete.

"Now we have a consensus-building commission to hear the recommendations that are agreed upon for a charter that will then lead to an election in December of this year," he said. "When my job is done, I will hand over to the elected government."