Trapped in tight spot, Yunus govt bans rallies in Dhaka's power centre
While Bangladesh's interim government under Muhammad Yunus is facing intense protests from opposition parties, civil servants, teachers, and amid signs of discontent with the army, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a sweeping ban on all public gatherings, processions, and rallies in the capital's seat of power. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday sealed off the Jamuna Guest House, the official residence of Muhammad Yunus, along with the Bangladesh Secretariat and surrounding areas for an indefinite period, reported The Daily Star.The security clampdown comes amid weeks of sustained protests by civil servants and officials at the Dhaka Secretariat against a Yunus government ordinance that permits their dismissal for misconduct within 14 days, without due process. Civil servants labelled it an "unlawful black law" and demanded its immediate repeal.The ban on protests and rallies in the Central Dhaka locality, according to DMP Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali, is "in the interest of public order and the security of the chief advisor [Muhammad Yunus]", reported BD24News.The latest protest ban in central Dhaka follows a similar directive issued on May 10, when the interim government deployed paramilitary forces, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the police's SWAT units, to secure key government installations.For now, Eid might have brought a temporary pause to the intensity of protests, but civil servants have warned of a tougher movement if their demands are not met by June 15, reported the Dhaka-based NewAgeBD.Bangladesh's interim government, led by Yunus, in power since August 8, 2024, is grappling with mounting challenges and protests. Yunus has promised sweeping judicial and institutional reforms, and free elections by the first week of April 2026.Yunus' announcement on the polls, however, has fuelled speculation that he may be trying to stay in power without elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been staging large-scale protests, demanding a clear election timeline, while the army, led by Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, has also pushed for polls by December 2025.Adding to the pushback from the army and the BNP, the protesting civil servants on May 27 threatened to expand their agitation to government offices nationwide if their demands are not met, reported Prothom Alo.Nurul Islam, the co-chairman of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum, said that the protests would become more intense in the future.Days later, thousands of primary school teachers across Bangladesh rose up in an indefinite strike, demanding higher wages, among several other demands.For now, Bangladesh may be witnessing a temporary lull during the week-long Eid break, but protests are expected to intensify once the holidays end.With discontent simmering and protests getting intense in Bangladesh, Yunus' interim government is finding itself in an increasingly tricky position. With each crackdown, Yunus might be risking public mistrust and widening the fissures within Bangladesh's already fragile political state of affairs.Tune InMust Watch
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