“Bangladesh Has Plunged into an Age of Terror”: Sheikh Hasina Calls for Overthrow of ‘Puppet Regime’ of Muhammad Yunus
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unleashed one of her most blistering political attacks to date against the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, calling on the people of Bangladesh to rise up and overthrow what she described as a “foreign-serving puppet regime.” The remarks, delivered in an audio address at a diaspora event in India, mark an escalation in rhetoric just weeks ahead of Bangladesh’s national election scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Hasina, who has been living in self-imposed exile in India since violent protests led to her ouster in August 2024, painted a bleak and dramatically critical picture of the current political situation in Bangladesh. In her address, she asserted that the nation had “plunged into an age of terror,” with democracy effectively “in exile” and the country navigating “one of the most perilous chapters in its history.” She accused Yunus and his allies of turning Bangladesh into what she termed “a vast prison, an execution ground, a valley of death.”
Central to Hasina’s message was a scathing personal attack on Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and head of the interim government. Hasina repeatedly labelled him a “murderous fascist,” “corrupt, power-hungry traitor,” “usurer,” and “plunderer,” alleging that his administration had bled the nation dry and presided over a breakdown in law and order.
According to Hasina, her removal from office on August 5, 2024 was the result of a “meticulously engineered conspiracy” involving Yunus and what she termed “anti-state militant accomplices,” despite her status as a directly elected leader. Since then, she claimed, human rights have been trampled, freedom of the press extinguished, and violence, torture, and sexual assault allowed to flourish. Hasina also alleged that religious minorities faced continuous persecution and that life and property were insecure across the country.
Hasina’s narrative underscores deep political fractures in Bangladesh as the country approaches a critical electoral milestone. The election — the first since the 2024 uprising that ended Hasina’s long tenure — is being held under the interim government led by Yunus. However, the political environment remains highly contested: Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been banned from contesting and its registration suspended.
In her speech, Hasina did not merely criticise — she laid out a five-point plan aimed at national reconciliation and democratic revival. Key demands included the removal of the “illegal Yunus administration,” an end to street violence and lawlessness, guarantees for the safety of vulnerable groups including religious minorities and women, and an end to politically motivated prosecutions of journalists and opposition figures. She also called for an impartial investigation by the United Nations into the past year’s events.
Hasina appealed for unity among democratic, progressive, and non-communal forces within Bangladesh, urging them to defend and restore the constitution, reclaim national sovereignty, and revive democratic governance. “The entire nation must rise united and galvanised by the spirit of our great Liberation War,” she said, invoking the legacy of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence under her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Observers note that Hasina’s speech, delivered on foreign soil and addressed to diaspora and media audiences, reflects both the heightened political tensions within Bangladesh and her continued influence among segments of the population. However, it also illustrates the profound polarisation that continues to define Bangladesh’s political landscape as it heads into elections marked by controversy and competing claims over legitimacy and democratic rights.
While Hasina’s supporters may view her call to action as a rallying cry for democratic restoration, critics argue that her rhetoric could further deepen divisions at a time when many Bangladeshis are hoping for stability and progress after a period of unrest. The election results and subsequent political developments will likely be pivotal in shaping Bangladesh’s governance and democratic trajectory in the months ahead.
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