Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus promoted Bangladesh’s economic leverage, saying the country offered trade advantages over India. (File Photo) Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has urged members of the Hindu community to see themselves as citizens of the country first, rather than as a religious minority. Speaking in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan, Yunus said this approach would strengthen social unity and ensure equal protection for all.
“My message to them, when I meet community leaders, is don’t go back and say, ‘I’m a Hindu, so protect me.’ Always say, ‘I’m a citizen of this country. I’m entitled to all the protection the state is supposed to give me,’” Yunus said during the interview. “Then you have broader coverage.”
Yunus added that Hindus in Bangladesh should not feel “isolated” and should claim their rights as full citizens, rather than identifying primarily through religion.
“Fake news is India’s speciality”
During the interview, Yunus rejected allegations of communal violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. He described such reports as “fake news” spread by India.
“One of the specialities of India right now is fake news — a barrage of fake news,” he told Hasan, claiming that many incidents reported as religious attacks were actually local disputes over land or neighbourhood matters.
He also denied international media reports about attacks on temples and Hindu leaders following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government last year. “The government is very alert on that because this is one thing India is always pushing bringing pressure,” Yunus said.
When Hasan cited documented cases of mob violence and the arrest of a Hindu monk for hoisting a religious flag, Yunus repeated that these were part of a “misinformation campaign.”
“India faces higher tariffs than Bangladesh”
The comments come more than a year after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in August 2024 and fled to India. Yunus, appointed head of the interim government, has faced protests at home and abroad over alleged persecution of minorities and the growing influence of Islamist groups.
Despite the criticism, Yunus also used the interview to promote Bangladesh’s economic position, saying the country offered trade advantages over India.
“India faces much higher US tariffs than Bangladesh,” he said. “Soon, Indian industries may leave and come to us to manufacture because it is so much cheaper.”
His remarks come as Bangladesh struggles to revive its slowing economy and attract foreign investment amid strained relations with New Delhi since Hasina’s departure.