I’ve nothing to do about Dr Yunus: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said she had nothing to do regarding Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus who has been sentenced in a case filed on charges of violating labour laws.

Muhammad Yunus deprived his workers, he should seek apology from them, she remarked while responding to a question of a newsperson at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in the afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of governing Awami League, was addressing an event to exchange views with local and foreign journalists and polls monitors on Monday, the following day of the 12th parliamentary elections.

AL is all set to form the next government as the party has secured a landslide victory in the 12th parliamentary elections held on Sunday.

A foreign journalist asked the prime minister whether she would consider pardoning Dr Yunus at this time of celebrating the victory in the election?

In response, she said, “This is a matter of the labour court. The workers of his own organisation are deprived and they have lodged a lawsuit. He has violated the labour law, deprived his own workers. I’ve nothing to do here. The question of pardoning him should not come to me. Rather, he should seek an apology from his workers.”

Responding to a question on comparing her with “iron ladies” from different countries, Sheikh Hasina said one should not think whether a person is a male or female while running a country.

She further stated she never thinks she has constraints as a woman. She works for the people of the country. A woman is a mother who looks after a family and children.

She insisted that she works for the people of the country out of motherly love.

The prime minister further said she is a very simple woman. There is a sense of responsibility towards the people of the country that she has to work for them; provide an improved life to them and she has been working to that end.

President of Press Club of India, Gautam Lahiri, asked her a question on good governance and smart Bangladesh. The prime minister answered that she would prepare the youths with proper training for the future considering 2041 as a deadline for smart Bangladesh.

Journalist Ashoke Raj of Indian news agency Asian News International (ANI) asked Sheikh Hasina about her goals as a prime minister for the next five years. He also asked what kind of congratulations she received from India, especially from Modi.

Answering to this question, Sheikh Hasina said India is a great friend of Bangladesh. The country gave shelter to her and her sister following the killing of her family in 1975. Though there are some issues but those are resolved bilaterally. Besides, Bangladesh maintains the principle of good relations with all the countries.

When a person from Washington of the US asked about Bangladesh’s bilateral relation with the US, the prime minister said Bangladesh has good relations with everyone. There is no problem from Bangladesh’s side.

The prime minister also thanked the person for remarks that the election in Bangladesh was good, and asked him, “What would you say? Was this election better than your country (the US)?”

Addressing the event the prime minister further said the people of Bangladesh are wonderful. But there are some antagonists and that’s normal. But she is not a vindictive person and she never took revenge over anyone. She is an open minded and generous person. There are many TV channels in the country but the government has only one TV channel. People are speaking there. There are many newspapers that could write. She never interferes there. Rather, it is better if anyone criticises. There are many things to learn from there.

She also said every country should have sovereignty.