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News18
27-05-2025
- Business
- News18
Why Yunus's Each Day In Office Puts Bangladesh, India & Region At Risk
Last Updated: Bangladesh's economic collapse can set the region in turmoil. To top it, Yunus and his student advisers have facilitated growing jihadism and Islamist takeover of institutions In about 10 days, Muhammad Yunus's caretaker government will complete 10 disastrous months in power with nothing to show for it. Bangladesh's democracy has been suspended, the economy in collapse, and law and order on indefinite leave since mobs ousted Sheikh Hasina and celebrated it by waving their 76-year-old Prime Minister's bra. Highlights of the Yunus government's tenure so far have been unleashing waves of genocidal terror against political opponents, setting free from prison several terrorists including Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani, giving Islamist groups like Jamaat, Hefazat, and Khelafat free play, allowing proscribed outfit Hizbut Tahrir's first public rally in Dhaka, making up ad hoc laws to stay in power, and bringing the economy to the point of breakdown. At a press conference on Sunday, top industrialists said Bangladesh's economy was a ticking time bomb. The business leaders accused the interim government of sleeping through leaping production costs, fuel shortages, and a hostile business environment. They warned that the power and gas crisis is wrecking local industries and leading to factory shutdowns, mass layoffs, and financial defaults. Bangladesh Textiles Mills Association President Showkat Aziz Russell said if during the 1971 Liberation War intellectuals were targeted, in 2025 it is the entrepreneurs. 'We are paying gas bills but getting no supply. Factories are idle, yet we are pressured to repay loans, deal with soaring interest rates, and face government threats," Dhaka Tribune quoted him as saying. Bangladesh's economic collapse — given its massive low-income workforce — is enough to set the region in turmoil. To top it, Yunus and his immature and greedy student advisers have facilitated growing jihadism and the Islamist takeover of institution after institution. If Yunus and his current team continue in power, Bangladesh could slide into civil war with the right (or rather, wrong) kind of push. Their current dispensation is solely interested in hanging on unelected for as long as possible and making appalling amounts of money while Bangladesh goes to the dogs. Moazzem Hossain, the former assistant personal secretary (APS) of Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, is accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth of over 300 crore taka in such a short time. Many believe it is Asif's money, that too just a fraction of what the 'student adviser' has swiftly laundered. This lot has resorted to emotionally blackmailing the nation that they were the harbingers of Liberation 2.0, so they should be allowed to rule without an electoral mandate. Not just that, they want to carry out 'sanskar' or reforms of everything from the electoral process to education, a job which only an elected government must undertake. BNP, the party projected to win handsomely if elections are held now, has taken to the streets demanding elections. Its exiled leader Tarique Rahman slammed the Yunus government from London for the state of the economy and law and order. If the BNP intensifies its agitation, the Yunus government will not be able to withstand it. The Yunus government, run from the shadows by Jamaat and other Islamists, also want to permanently ban the Awami League from Bangladesh politics. It has already outlawed AL's activities. If the Awami League is barred from contesting, it will fulfil Pakistani ISI or the Muslim Brotherhood's dream of subverting for good Bangladesh's spirit of Bengali nationalism which AL captures at least on paper, and usurping it by an Islamic caliphate in the garb of exclusionary democracy. But what stands between Bangladesh and the abyss is its army. Bangladesh army chief Waker-uz-Zaman wants Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus gone and elections held as soon as possible. The army, as well as the BNP, have cautioned Yunus not to get on to a misadventure like opening the Chittagong corridor for the UN and pushing his own nation and the region into chaos, only to do the US Deep State's bidding. The Yunus regime tacitly tried to engineer a coup in the army to topple General Waker, but all the service chiefs and the forces stand firmly with him today. Waker is against Yunus's idea of waiting until June for elections, a ploy to buy time. The interim government's legal basis is dubious. Article 123 of Bangladesh's Constitution mandates elections within 90 days of a government's dissolution, whatever the reason may be. Using it, the army may instruct President Mohammed Shahabuddin to declare a state of emergency. During an emergency, the President could dissolve the interim government and declare immediate elections. Under Article 141A of the Bangladesh Constitution, the President can take on emergency powers if the constitutional machinery breaks down. Given Yunus and his advisers' wilful dithering, that could be the only logical option left. Each day Yunus and his band of boys who suffer from premature articulation are in power, peace in the region will be taking a few big steps away. Abhijit Majumder is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 27, 2025, 11:32 IST News opinion Opinion | Why Yunus's Each Day In Office Puts Bangladesh, India & Region At Risk
The Print
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Bangladeshi Islamist group rally in show of strength on women rights
They mainly denounced proposed recommendations for ensuring equal rights, including ones related to property, for mainly Muslim women in one of their biggest public shows of strength in years as religious activism surged in Bangladesh following the ouster of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime last year. Hefazat-e-Islam, a platform of mainly teachers and students of non-government or 'kawmi' madrassa or religious seminaries and considered as an influential pressure group, staged the rally at Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan protesting the draft recommendations of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission instituted by the Muhammad Yunus' interim government. Dhaka, May 3 (PTI) Thousands of supporters of an influential Bangladeshi Islamist group on Saturday rallied here demanding abolition of a government instituted women related commission, saying its draft recommendations on women rights were contrary to Islamic faith. Nayeb-e-Ameer or senior leader of the platform Maulana Mahfuzul Huq announced a 12-point charter of demands with first one being abolition of the existing women reform commission and constituting a new one comprising Islamic scholars and women representatives. Another influential Hefazat leader Mamunul Haque demanded punishment for the women reform commission members as they hurt 'the sentiments of the majority of the people of this country' by labelling the religious laws of inheritance as the main cause of inequality between men and women. 'Men and women can never be equal,' a women's madrassa teacher Mohammad Shihab Uddin told the rally adding that the Quran outlined specific codes of life for both genders and 'there is no way we can go beyond that'. The Hefazat called for reinstating 'complete faith and trust in almighty Allah' in the constitution and asked the government to abandon the 'suicidal concept' of pluralism and to protect what they said the Muslims faith and practices. The group also opposed the inclusion of terms such as 'gender identity,' 'gender diversity,' 'gender equality,' 'gender discrimination,' 'third gender,' and 'other genders'. It argued that these are used to promote LGBT and transgender inclusion under ambiguous slogans such as 'Leave no one behind' and 'inclusive' and feared that these ideas could lead to a 'destructive, anti-religious pro-homosexual society'. The Women's Affairs Reform Commission is one of the several commissions instituted by the interim government to carry out reform. It had recently submitted its recommendations to the government. PTI AR NPK NPK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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First Post
03-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Bangladesh: Islamist group rallies in Dhaka, calls for abolition of women's reform commission
Thousands of supporters of an Islamist group rallied in Bangladesh's capital on Saturday to denounce proposed recommendations for ensuring equal rights, including ones related to property, for mainly Muslim women. read more Thousands of activists of Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam denounce proposed recommendations for equal rights for Muslim women, at a protest rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, May 3, 2025. Photo- AP Thousands of supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam, a powerful Islamist group in Bangladesh, rallied in Dhaka on Saturday, demanding the government scrap the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, accusing it of promoting recommendations that conflict with Islamic principles. Leaders of the Hefazat-e-Islam group said the proposed legal reforms are contradictory to Sharia law. More than 20,000 followers of the group rallied near the Dhaka University, some carrying banners and placards reading 'Say no to Western laws on our women, rise up Bangladesh.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The protest held at Suhrawardy Udyan drew a massive crowd primarily composed of teachers and students from 'kawmi' madrassas, non-government religious seminaries that form the core of Hefazat's support base. The commission was formed under the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government last year. Hefazat leaders argued that the suggested reforms undermined Islamic tenets and threatened traditional family structures. In one of its largest demonstrations in recent years, Hefazat's senior leader, Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Mahfuzul Huq, unveiled a 12-point list of demands. Chief among them was the immediate dissolution of the current commission and the formation of a new body staffed by Islamic scholars and female representatives aligned with religious values. Another influential Hefazat leader Mamunul Haque demanded punishment for the women reform commission members as they hurt 'the sentiments of the majority of the people of this country' by labelling the religious laws of inheritance as the main cause of inequality between men and women. 'Men and women can never be equal,' a women's madrassa teacher Mohammad Shihab Uddin told the rally, adding that the Quran outlined specific codes of life for both genders and 'there is no way we can go beyond that'. The Hefazat called for reinstating 'complete faith and trust in almighty Allah' in the constitution and asked the government to abandon the 'suicidal concept' of pluralism and to protect what they said the Muslims faith and practices. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The group also opposed the inclusion of terms such as 'gender identity,' 'gender diversity,' 'gender equality,' 'gender discrimination,' 'third gender,' and 'other genders'. It argued that these are used to promote LGBT and transgender inclusion under ambiguous slogans such as 'Leave no one behind' and 'inclusive' and feared that these ideas could lead to a 'destructive, anti-religious pro-homosexual society'. The Women's Affairs Reform Commission is one of the several commissions instituted by the interim government to carry out reform. It had recently submitted its recommendations to the government. With inputs from agencies
Hans India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
B'desh: Radical Islamist group organises rally demanding women's reform body dissolution
Dhaka: In a growing emergence of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh, thousands of leaders and activists of the radical Islamist group of the country, Hefazat-e-Islam, on Saturday organised a rally in Dhaka demanding the dissolution of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission. Additionally, the Islamist group demanded the withdrawal of cases against its leaders and a ban on the Awami League, local media reported. Law enforcement agencies are on high alert as members of various security forces, including plainclothes and uniformed police, have been stationed at key points across the city since early morning. Approximately 300 cases are pending against the Hefazat leaders, according to a report by UNB. Meanwhile, on Friday, Hefazat-e-Islam threatened to paralyse Bangladesh if all their demands, including the abolition of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, were not met immediately. Addressing a protest rally in front of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, Maulana Junaid Al Habib, the organisation's central senior vice president, declared that Dhaka will come to a standstill on Saturday if their demands are not met. "The government's time is until tomorrow. If a decision is not made by tomorrow, the country will be brought to a standstill and set to fire," said the Islamist leader. "If the cases against Hefazat leaders and religious scholars are not withdrawn and the women's commission is not abolished, we will launch stricter programmes," another leader of the Islamist party, Mohiuddin Rabbani, warned. Last week, Hefazat-e-Islam issued a threat, stating that Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus will face a similar fate as former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina if the proposals made by the women's commission are put into action. Earlier, at various protest rallies and processions organised across the country, the Islamist group made these warnings to the interim government, terming the women's reform body proposals as "anti-Islamic." Addressing a public gathering in Narayanganj district last week, Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of Hefazat, said that the women's commission has shown complete disregard for Islamic law by stating that religious and social norms are the main reason for discrimination against women in the country, according to a report by leading Bangladeshi daily, The Business Standard. "Yunus Saheb has talked about implementing it quickly. He has stood against the Islamic inheritance law. We have given him a lot of respect, but if he moves on this path, we cannot treat him any differently than Hasina," Haque stated. The extremist groups previously collaborated with student leaders and Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League. The previously celebrated unity of political parties in Bangladesh, evident during the ousting of Hasina in August 2024, is gradually diminishing.
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First Post
30-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Bangladesh: Radical Islamist outfit warns Yunus will meet the same end as Sheikh Hasina if…
Radical Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has threatened Yunus over gender reform proposals, warning of consequences similar to Hasina's ouster, according to a report read more Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh. Reuters File Radical Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has warned Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus that he could face the same fate as deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina if the interim government proceeds with implementing what it calls 'anti-Islamic' recommendations proposed by the Women's Affairs Reform Commission. According to a Times of India report, at a recent gathering, Hefazat leaders strongly criticised the Commission's proposals, claiming they contradict the Quran and Sunnah and urged the government to scrap the reforms immediately STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Separately, the Islamist political party Khelafat Majlis also demanded the abolition of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, echoing Hefazat's opposition and calling the body unnecessary and harmful to Islamic values, added the report. 'This is against the Quran and Sunnah and threatens the religious identity of Muslims,' ToI quoted secretary general Ahmad Abdul Quader as saying. Hefazat's warning came during nationwide protests triggered by the Commission's recent report, which Hefazat claims goes against Islamic law. Addressing protesters in Narayanganj on Friday, Hefazat joint secretary general Mamunul Haque said, 'We welcomed five of the six reform commissions, but the proposals from the Women's Affairs Reform Commission are shocking. They blame religious and social norms for gender discrimination, which is a clear rejection of Islamic law.' 'We have shown him respect, but if he insists on pushing this agenda, we will be compelled to treat him no differently than Sheikh Hasina,' said Haque referring to Yunus. Hasina, Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister, resigned and fled to India last year, marking a dramatic end to her 15-year tenure following an unprecedented wave of nationwide protests. Her departure came after weeks of escalating demonstrations and violent clashes with security forces, which left nearly 300 people dead since mid-July. Initially sparked by student anger over a controversial quota system for government jobs, the protests quickly evolved into a widespread movement against Hasina and the ruling Awami League. The 76-year-old leader, who secured a fourth consecutive term in January through a disputed election boycotted by the main opposition, faced growing domestic and international criticism over democratic backsliding. The latest unrest proved to be the final and most significant challenge of her political career. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
