‘Revenge of 1971’: Hafiz Saeed-led group claim role in Sheikh Hasina’s ouster

Senior leaders of the banned Pakistan-based outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), affiliated with 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, have publicly claimed that their group played a role in last year’s large-scale anti-government protests in Bangladesh. These protests, they claimed, led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. The statements were made by JuD leaders Saifullah Kasuri and UN-designated terrorist Muzammil Hashmi during speeches delivered earlier this week in various locations across Punjab province in Pakistan.

Addressing supporters in Allahabad town of Rahim Yar Khan district, Saifullah Kasuri referred to the 1971 Liberation War and claimed, “On May 10, we have taken the revenge of 1971.” He also recalled that the Indian Prime Minister at the time, Indira Gandhi, had declared the two-nation theory dead in the Bay of Bengal after the creation of Bangladesh. Kasuri further claimed, “I was in my constituency meeting with the people when the Pahalgam incident took place. India made me the mastermind of this attack. India made my city, Kasur, popular in the world.”

Kasuri stated that his associate, Mudassar, was killed in an Indian airstrike on May 7 targeting Muridke, the headquarters of JuD and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. “I was not allowed to attend his funeral. On the day of his funeral, I cried a lot,” he said, without naming who had restricted his attendance. In contrast, top officials from the military, police, and civilian administration of Punjab province reportedly attended the funerals of Mudassar and two other JuD members.

During a separate speech in Gujranwala, Muzammil Hashmi addressed India and stated, “We defeated you in Bangladesh last year,” referring to Hasina’s ouster. According to his remarks, the student-led mass protests that erupted in Bangladesh eventually led to Hasina leaving the country. On August 8, Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. The comments linked the protests directly with JuD’s claimed actions, although no operational details were provided in the speeches.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, provided an account of Hasina’s resignation. He stated that military officials had asked her to step down to prevent further bloodshed. According to his account, Hasina had refused and said, “You shoot me and bury me here, in Ganabhaban.” She eventually left Dhaka after her son convinced her to leave. Following her exit, bilateral ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh reportedly improved.