Former Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has alleged that the country’s interim government under Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is attempting to forge a new bloc with Pakistan and China driven by an anti-India agenda, warning that such a move could destabilise Bangladesh and push it towards a situation similar to Afghanistan.
In an exclusive interview to NewsX, Momen said the future of Bangladesh was at stake and accused Yunus of pursuing policies that would isolate the country diplomatically and economically. He claimed that previous governments had maintained a balanced foreign policy, keeping strong ties with India while also sustaining robust economic engagement with China.
“Bangladesh was a stabilising force in the Asia-Pacific region,” Momen said, adding that Yunus was now attempting to create “a new group with Pakistan and China” with the objective of countering India.
He alleged that Yunus was “anti-India” and had been spreading propaganda that India had exploited Bangladesh, a narrative he said had influenced sections of the youth.
According to Momen, during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, Bangladesh signed several agreements with India and Myanmar for mutual benefit. However, Yunus had portrayed these as exploitative, fuelling animosity. He further alleged that Yunus believed a defence arrangement with Pakistan — which he described as India’s “archenemy and a nuclear power” — along with closer ties to China, could help form an anti-India bloc.
Momen also alleged interference by Pakistani intelligence, claiming that some members of the younger generation who participated in the July uprising had been bribed. He said such developments undermined national interests and could create long-term instability. “They are trying to create a bloc but this bloc will not be good for Bangladesh,” he said, warning that it would complicate Dhaka’s relations globally and risk turning the country into “another Afghanistan.”
Turning to domestic politics, Momen described the upcoming referendum — scheduled alongside the 13th parliamentary election — as “fraudulent.” He said that for the first time, voters would be required to answer “yes or no” on 86 major issues, most of which were not widely understood by the public.
“Across the world, whenever there is a referendum, people know what the issues are. In this case, most people don’t know,” he said, alleging that even political leaders were unclear about the proposals. He claimed the referendum was structured to constrain the powers of the next government and Parliament by binding them to its outcomes.
Alleging that Yunus was guided by vested interests, Momen said the interim leader sought to serve those who facilitated his appointment as Chief Advisor. He further claimed that Yunus had offered power-sharing arrangements to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) to safeguard his own position.
Momen criticised Western countries for what he described as silence over what he termed a “pre-arranged fraud.” He alleged that major political parties, including the Awami League and the Jatiya Party, were being marginalised, harassed and denied fair campaigning conditions. He questioned why Western governments, which advocate inclusive democracy, were not condemning the process.
He also suggested that Western powers were uncomfortable with Bangladesh’s economic progress under previous governments and preferred a weaker state.
