Yunus to stay on as interim govt head, says Bangladesh's planning adviser

Business Standard

24-05-2025

Muhammad Yunus will continue as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, a cabinet adviser confirmed on Saturday (May 24) — just two days after one of his key allies revealed he had considered stepping down.
'He (Yunus) didn't say he will leave. He said that while we face many obstacles in carrying out the work and responsibilities assigned to us, we are overcoming them,' Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud told reporters following an unplanned meeting of the advisory council, according to a PTI report.
Mahmud added, 'He (Yunus) is definitely staying.'
He also made it clear that none of the advisers were planning to step aside, stressing, 'The responsibility entrusted to us is a significant one; we cannot abandon this duty.'
Yunus's decision to stay came after telling student leaders from the National Citizen Party (NCP) that he was thinking of quitting, explaining that "he felt the situation is such that he cannot work" due to the political parties' ongoing failure to reach a consensus on reforms.
Earlier on Thursday, Yunus reportedly shared similar thoughts during a cabinet meeting, but his colleagues convinced him to reconsider.
The sudden, closed-door meeting that followed brought together 19 advisers — acting like ministers — after a scheduled session of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka.
Partway through the meeting, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told journalists that the main topics were upcoming elections, Yunus's reform proposals, and the delayed July Proclamation — a statement symbolising last year's student-led uprising which toppled Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.
NCP urges Yunus to hold firm
NCP convenor Nahid Islam, who also met Yunus, later said he had urged him "to stay strong for the sake of the country's security and future, and to meet the expectations of the mass uprising. I hope everyone will cooperate with him."
Many analysts viewed Yunus's threat to resign as a way to gauge his support from the public and political stakeholders.
Yunus is expected to hold talks later in the day with leaders from Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami, following an urgent call for dialogue amid rising political tension.
According to the Chief Adviser's press team, BNP leaders were scheduled to meet him at 7:00 PM, while Jamaat officials were due an hour later.
Senior BNP members, including Abdul Moyeen Khan and Salahuddin Ahmed, had previously said the party wanted Yunus to guide the country towards early elections and step down gracefully — rather than suddenly.
BNP and Jamaat push for early elections
Following the ousting of the Awami League last August, the BNP has become a central force in the political landscape.
Jamaat, once a BNP ally, had shifted towards the NCP as the BNP pulled back from the alliance. Jamaat leaders have insisted that holding a fair election is the only way to regain the people's confidence.
'The government has said that elections will be held between December and June. Now, a specific roadmap needs to be announced within this period — not just elections, but also a roadmap for structural reforms in politics and state governance,' said Jamaat leader Syed Abdullah M Taher.
However, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan pointed out that the interim setup wasn't formed solely to hold elections — it was also meant to push forward reforms and uphold justice.
Yunus's moment of hesitation came as tensions grew between the military and the interim government, particularly over the timing of the next polls and a controversial plan involving a humanitarian aid route to conflict-hit Rakhine State in Myanmar.
Three days earlier, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, along with the navy and air force heads, had met Yunus and reportedly urged him to hold elections by December. They also shared their concerns about the proposed aid corridor.
The following day, General Zaman held a meeting with senior officers at Dhaka Cantonment, where he expressed frustration over being kept in the dark about several strategic decisions — despite the military's active role.
Military reasserts influence
The military also resolved to take a tougher stance against rising incidents of mob justice. Troops — who had been deployed with magistracy powers — were seen stepping up patrols and security checks in key areas.
Analysts said the meeting was vital for the military to reinforce its influence in the current transition.
During last year's protests, the army had avoided cracking down on demonstrators and instead ensured Sheikh Hasina's safe departure to India. It had also backed Yunus's appointment as interim head, as requested by the SAD — a student movement that later helped form the NCP.
Since then, Yunus's government has disbanded the Awami League and sent several senior leaders, including ex-ministers, to prison to face trial over charges such as crimes against humanity.
Mounting political pressure
Yunus is under increasing pressure from parties like the BNP to announce an election date. His talk of stepping down came just a day after the BNP gathered thousands in a major rally demanding immediate elections.
This week, the party also called for student representatives to be removed from the cabinet. In response, the NCP demanded that two advisers be sacked, accusing them of siding with the BNP while still holding office.