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An undated photo of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. (Photo: PTI)
It would not be right for ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled the country after weeks of tumultuous student protests, to continue her stay in India, Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who will head the country’s interim government to be sworn in on Thursday, told NDTV in an interview on Wednesday.
The interview, which Yunus gave before his return to Bangladesh, comes amid reports that Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India may be extended after her plan to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) and seek asylum ran into a roadblock. According to one report, the UK has effectively ruled out granting asylum to Hasina and she might be exploring other options, including the United States (US) and Finland.
Yunus, 84, is set to return to Bangladesh on Thursday, when the country will get a new, interim government. Later on Thursday, Yunus will be sworn in as chief adviser, along with a team of advisers, in the interim government, which the country’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, said could include 15 members.
While reports indicate that India is willing to support Hasina in her time of need, providing her refuge for an extended period could put New Delhi in a tight spot, since it will be looking to secure its interests in Bangladesh under whichever new dispensation eventually takes over.
Once the interim government is sworn in, the next step will be fresh elections in Bangladesh.
India’s main concern is likely to be that Hasina’s opponents in Dhaka, with whom it will have to work, could use her extended stay in the country to raise doubts about New Delhi’s intentions.
First Published: Aug 08 2024 | 1:43 PM IST
