• Source:JND
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New York: Bangladesh interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has again made a series of controversial statements against India during his ongoing visit to the United States. During an event in New York, Yunus said Bangladesh has problems with India, and claimed New Delhi didn’t like last year's student protests that led to the dramatic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "We have problems with India right now, because they didn't like what the students did,” said Yunus during an event organised by the Asia Society in New York.

Besides, he also blamed New Delhi for hosting Hasina and claimed this led to tensions between the two nations. “India is hosting Hasina, who has created problems in Bangladesh. This led to tension between India and Bangladesh,” added Yunus.

Muhammad Yunus meets Shehbaz Sharif in New York

The contentious statement from Yunus came just after he held a separate meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

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This marked the second meeting between Yunus and Sharif -- the first being on the sidelines of last year's UNGA meet -- reflecting the growing closeness between Dhaka and Islamabad since the ouster of the democratically elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

India is propagating fake news against Bangladesh: Yunus claims

Yunus, speaking at the event hosted by former South Korean Foreign Minister and Kyung Hwa Kang, also claimed that New Delhi was propagating fake news against Bangladesh. However, he did not provide concrete evidence to prove his statements. “A lot of fake news coming from India, propaganda, that it's an Islamist movement...,” said Yunus.

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This is not the first time Yunus has made such claims against India. Earlier in March this year, he warned about deliberate attempts to destabilise the country through false information during his address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day and Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

Yunus wants SAARC revival

Yunus, further sought to expand SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) group and pointed fingers at New Delhi that it does not want Dhaka to participate in the alliance. Notably, SAARC members include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Although Saarc leaders are expected to convene yearly, the group has not held a summit since its last meeting in Kathmandu in 2014, primarily due to strained India-Pakistan relations. The organization has been dormant since the 2016 Uri attack by Pakistan, which claimed at least 17 soldiers' lives.

Why is India opposing SAARC revival

In 2016, the SAARC summit was slated for Islamabad, but India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan, pulled out, resulting in the event's cancellation. No summits have occurred since. Nepal, however, has continued to organize informal gatherings of Saarc foreign ministers.

For Yunus, Saarc is vital for fostering regional collaboration and connectivity. In August 2024, he urged the revival of Saarc to strengthen economic ties in South Asia, envisioning it as a potential framework for cooperation similar to the European Union.