Bangladesh interim chief Muhammad Yunus on his way out? What we know

Professor Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, is considering stepping down from his position, as per several media reports. Yunus feels it is becoming difficult to continue in his role because the political parties have not reached a mutual understanding, according to a report by BBC Bangla.The BBC Bangla service reported this at midnight on Thursday, quoting Nhid Islam, leader of the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP). Islam said, “We have been hearing news of sir’s (Yunus) resignation since this morning. So I went to meet sir to discuss that issue . . . He said he is thinking about it. He feels that the situation is such that he cannot work.”Nahid Islam, leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP)– made up of many of the students who spearheaded the uprising against Hasina last year– met with Yunus on Thursday evening, news agency AFP reported.Islam, who is the convenor of the NCP and closely linked with Yunus since February, said Yunus shared his concern about continuing in the current environment. “I won’t be able to work unless the political parties can reach a common ground,” Yunus, chief adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, reportedly said.Islam said he encouraged Yunus to stay in his role, saying it was important for the country’s stability and future. He told the BBC, “I told him to stay strong for the sake of the country’s security, and future and to meet the expectations of the mass uprising.”He added that he hoped political parties would eventually cooperate with Yunus. “I hope everyone will cooperate with him,” he said.At the same time, Islam said that if Yunus feels he cannot do his job properly, leaving the post might be the right decision. “If the political party wants him to resign now . . . why he will stay if he does not get that place of trust, that place of assurance?”Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate and current chief advisor of the caretaker government, informed his cabinet that he was considering stepping down unless he received full backing from political parties, according to a source from his office.“He wanted to tender his resignation, but his cabinet members persuaded him not to,” a source was quoted as saying by the news agency AFP.Muhammad Yunus’s reported indication that he may resign comes a day after thousands of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters staged a major protest in Dhaka—their first large-scale demonstration against the interim government. Yunus has said that elections would be held by June 2026 at the latest. However, BNP supporters, widely viewed as strong contenders in the next polls following Hasina’s ouster, demanded a fixed election date.“If the government fails to meet public expectations, it will be difficult for the BNP to continue extending its support,” senior BNP leader Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain told reporters on Thursday. He added, “The highest priority should be placed on announcing a clear roadmap for the election.” The BNP also called for the removal of two cabinet members, alleging they are aligned with the National Citizen Party (NCP), and also demanded the dismissal of the national security advisor.“Their presence in the council of advisers raises questions about the nonpartisan and impartial nature of the government,” Hossain said.“It seems the government is pushing forward the agenda of a particular group.” Meanwhile, Yunus’s ties with the military have reportedly worsened., which had played a major role during last year’s student protest movement. That movement had led to the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and brought Yunus into power.On Wednesday, reports said that army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman called for elections to be held by December.“Bangladesh is going through a difficult time,” local newspapers quoted him as saying.“The situation is getting worse every day. The civil administration and law enforcement agencies have broken down and have not been rebuilt.”