Dhaka: Mohsin Rashid, President of the Bangladesh Muslim League and a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, has called for a transparent investigation and trial of former interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and his advisers, alleging that they “ruined the country” during their tenure.
Speaking at the regular talk show “Kathopokothon” organized by Manchitra, in a conversation with senior journalist Manjurul Alam Panna, Rashid demanded that Yunus and his associates be barred from leaving the country until a full investigation is completed.
“These individuals must not be allowed to leave the country under any circumstances. Yunus and Asif Nazrul have destroyed the nation. There must be a proper investigation, and transparent accountability must be ensured,” Rashid said.
In addition to Yunus, Rashid named several members of the former administration — including Lamia Morshed, Rizwana Hasan and her husband, Asif Nazrul, Lutfe Siddiqui, Ashiq Chowdhury, and Shafiqul Alam — alleging that their roles should be examined through an open and impartial inquiry. “The public must be informed of the findings,” he added, criticizing what he described as the “misuse of Nobel prestige” in governance.
Turnout Did Not Exceed 40 Percent
Rashid also disputed the Election Commission’s reported voter turnout in the recently concluded national election. While official figures put turnout at around 60 percent, he claimed it did not exceed 40 percent.
“In my assessment, turnout did not cross 40 percent in any way. The 60 percent figure appears engineered to suggest that more than half of the electorate participated. That does not seem accurate to me,” he said, describing the alleged inflation as “engineering.”
Despite his criticism of the process, Rashid welcomed the two-thirds majority secured by the BNP, saying the party now bears significant responsibility. He highlighted the urgent need to stabilize the struggling economy, reform the banking and capital markets, and restructure the foreign ministry.
Referendum ‘Illegal and Unconstitutional’
Rashid described the ongoing referendum process as “illegal and unconstitutional,” arguing that it was unnecessary and framed with unreasonable questions.
“There was no need for a referendum. The way the questions were designed is irrational. However, since the BNP has secured a two-thirds majority, it is not bound to accept the referendum outcome,” he said.
He further alleged that a “deep state” or unseen forces had attempted to influence the political process through the referendum or other means but ultimately failed, claiming that voters had spontaneously delivered a mandate in favor of the BNP.
“No Further Opportunity” for Yunus Administration
Rashid asserted that there is no further scope for what he termed “designs or conspiracies” by the Yunus-led administration. He also alleged that Yunus had previously engaged PR firms in London to conspire against the former government.
“Both the people and the international community now understand how poor an administrator he was,” Rashid said, expressing hope that the newly formed government would restore good governance and undertake balanced constitutional reforms.
