Amid 'rift' with Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh's Army officers' ‘no reason…' statement to the media
Putting an end to speculation about a growing rift between the army and Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh, the country's top army officers said they were working closely with the government to safeguard the nation's interests.
Bangladesh Army's senior officials made the statements at a press conference in Dhaka on Monday. Addressing the reporters, director of the Military Operations Directorate (MOD) Brig Gen Md Nazim-ud-Daula said, "This is our country. Its welfare and sovereignty are deeply connected to all of us. If we want to keep this country safe, we have to do it ourselves. And if anything goes wrong, we are equally responsible for that too,' reported Bangladesh's local newspaper The Daily Star.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina brings up St Martin's island, accusing Yunus of 'selling' Bangladesh to US | Significance explained
While responding to a question about a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar's Rakhine State proposed by the United Nations, he urged the media not to misinterpret the ongoing discussions regarding the relationship between the country's government and military
"I don't believe this issue has reached a point to warrant such criticism or speculation. The government and the Bangladesh Army are working in close coordination and complementing each other. We follow the government's directives. There is no reason to interpret it otherwise," The Daily Star quoted Md Nazim-ud-Daula as saying.
"Sometimes, even in families, there can be misunderstandings. Similarly, different stakeholders may express varying opinions in the course of running a country. But that does not mean there's division or conflict. Nothing of that sort has happened," he added.
Md Nazim-ud-Daula also made it explicitly clear that the army and interim government of Bangladesh are 'not at odds'. 'We are working together, and I firmly believe we will continue to do so even more effectively in the days ahead,' he said.
The remarks come amid reports of a rift emerging between the Bangladesh military and its interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The country's army is pushing Muhammad Yunus to hold elections by the end of 2025, according to people familiar with the matter.
Among the key issues causing differences Bangladesh's interim government and the military is reportedly the former's inability to fix a timeline for the elections and a controversial proposal to establish a corridor from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh to Myanmar's Rakhine state in order to help Rohingya refugees, said people familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier.
Calling the corridor issue 'sensitive', Col Md Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the MOD said, 'Let me be clear—Bangladesh Army will never be involved in any action that may compromise national security'
He also reacted to rumours about the country's army taking over the power of the state and said that they have no such intentions. ' We have no intention, no interest, and no information to suggest anything of that sort,' the Daily Star quoted him as saying.
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