In a virtual speech in exile, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lashed out on Sunday against Nobel Laureate and interim government chief Muhammad Yunus for plotting with external powers to undo the democratic and economic fabric of Bangladesh. Describing Yunus as a "Self-Centered loan shark," Hasina blamed him for wiping out the role of the Awami League in the liberation struggle of Bangladesh. "All traces of Bangladesh's freedom struggle are being erased. Mukti Joddhas are being demeaned. The Mukti Joddha Complexes we constructed are being set on fire. Will Dr. Yunus be able to explain this?" she questioned in her eight-minute address.

Hasina made repeated allegations of a "foreign conspiracy" led by Yunus, accusing him of using international money to destabilize her regime. "That power-grabbing, money-grabbing man concocted a foreign plot to sabotage our nation. The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are conducting political murders, focusing on Awami League leaders," she stated.

Death Of Student Activists Part Of A 'Conspiracy', Says Hasina

Referring to the disputed killing of student activist Abu Sayeed, Hasina asserted it was part of a grand conspiracy. The UN had previously described his killing as a "deliberate extrajudicial killing," citing police use of 7.62 mm bullets. Brushing aside the UN report, Hasina said, "Sayeed was struck by a rubber bullet. He died from a rock injury. Who took the 7.62 mm rifle to the protest?" She also accused a high-ranking official who had started investigating the bullet's source of being dismissed by Yunus. "Yunus did not allow the judicial inquiry to function. Exhume the body, subject it to forensic analysis, the reality will come out soon," she asserted.

Factories Shut, Farmers in misery

Asserting widespread economic hardship after her removal, Hasina claimed that thousands of factories and businesses owned by Awami League leaders were closed down. "Hotels, hospitals, and industries are being looted. Awami League leaders are being falsely accused while real vandals go scot-free," she stated. Spiking her attack, Hasina charged Yunus with taking the country to the brink of collapse. "He is a fascist terrorist hungry for power. How can a nation be run when police are being gunned down in broad daylight?" she said. Dismissing the interim government's administrative orders, Hasina accused untrained political activists of being picked for key posts, including the police. "Senior doctors and surgeons are being removed. Thousands of laborers are unemployed. Farmers are in misery. No rule of law," she alleged.

Dhaka Initiative to Extradite Hasina, India Asked To Intervene

For her part, while Hasina keeps speaking to supporters through Awami League's social media accounts, Dhaka is said to be pushing New Delhi to extradite her. In a recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yunus charged her with trying to destabilize the country and requested India's help to curtail her activities. Earlier, New Delhi had raised reports of atrocities on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, but Dhaka had rejected the claims as exaggerated and based on "fake news."

Also read: ' I'm Coming Back': Hasina's Strong Message To Yunus Amid Reports Of Atrocities In Bangladesh