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Khaleej Times
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Bangladesh to hold elections in February 2026: Yunus
Bangladesh will hold elections in February 2026 for the first time since a mass uprising overthrew the government last year, interim leader Muhammad Yunus said Tuesday. "On behalf of the interim government, I will write a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting that the election be arranged before Ramadan in February 2026," Yunus said in a broadcast on the one-year anniversary of the overthrow of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Hindu
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bangladesh, a year after Sheikh Hasina's ouster
Bangladesh today is abysmally different from the trajectory promised to the people by Professor Muhammad Yunus when he was sworn in (August 8, 2024) as Chief Adviser of the Interim Government. Many myths have been shattered. The first myth that has unravelled is that Sheikh Hasina's ouster was the result of a 'spontaneous students' uprising'. It is now accepted that the 'meticulously designed' regime change operation was the handiwork of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), the radical Islamist political party that fought against the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. In 2024, as in 1971, the JeI was strongly supported by Pakistan, backed by key external powers including the United States and China. The JeI is the power behind the Chief Adviser, controlling every decision. The second myth concerns the legitimacy and constitutional validity of the Yunus-led regime. On August 8, 2024 they took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of Bangladesh. However, this Constitution has no provision for an interim government. Even though the Bangladesh High Court (on December 17, 2024) restored the system of caretaker government, the Yunus-led Interim Government cannot be considered a caretaker government. The Yunus regime has violated the mandated neutrality and non-party requirements of the caretaker government. Members of the Hizb-ut Tahrir, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Hefazat-e-Islam have been included as advisers in his regime. In a tweet (now deleted), one of the advisers expressed their desire to establish a caliphate in Bangladesh based on Sharia law, and even spoke about a civil war to achieve this goal. The strongly Islamist ideological leanings and objectives of those who hold the reins of power in Bangladesh have alienated them from the people. An election delaying tactic The third myth relates to the raison d'etre of any interim government. Its mandate can only be to ensure that free, fair and inclusive elections are organised within the specified 90-day period, with the participation of all registered political parties. An interim regime is not authorised to take any major decisions, especially those with constitutional significance or implications. Such decisions can be taken only by an elected parliament. Instead of preparing for elections, the Yunus-led interim regime has initiated a reform process, insisting that this must be completed before the elections. It has set up reform commissions for the Constitution, for electoral reforms, and for police reforms, among others. The JeI is the key protagonist of these reforms, which it hopes will boost its vote share far above the meagre 5% to 10% it has been receiving. This so-called reform process is merely an excuse to delay the elections, a step strongly opposed by the Army and by major political parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party which are insisting that elections be held by December 2025. This issue is now rapidly coming to a head, and election dates may be announced very soon. Led by the JeI, the interim regime is unleashing unspeakable violence on the people. Prime targets are the non-Muslim minorities (Hindus, Christians, Buddhists) as well as Muslim religious minorities (Sufis and Ahmadiyyas). Equally vicious has been the violence unleashed against Awami League members and their supporters. Every statue, every building, every institution associated with the Liberation War of 1971 has been destroyed. Over the months, as this violence has continued unabated, with varying degrees of ferocity, a huge backlash has built up among the people. Awami Leaguers have been jailed in large numbers or just brutally slaughtered. In May 2025, all Awami League activities were banned. While Sheikh Hasina is being tried on charges of ordering attacks on students (during the unrest of July-August 2024), there is deliberate amnesia about the burning and looting (by the mobs) of 400 police thanas across Bangladesh, followed by the killing of policemen in the hundreds, even thousands, using these looted weapons. The decision by the interim regime to indemnify itself and all 'the students and people who actively took part in the mass uprising of July-August' against harassment or arrest has been sharply criticised within and outside Bangladesh. A party, its disconnect The 'students' party, the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed in February 2025, is dubbed the King's Party, owing direct allegiance to Mr. Yunus. So far, the party has no legal status since it is not registered with the Election Commission. At first it included erstwhile members or sympathisers of the Islami Chhatra Shibir (students' wing of the JeI) and claims 'it was established to fight for the rights of the student community'. Yet, it has little or no following among university students. On July 16, 2025, NCP leaders held a rally in Gopalgunj, the hometown of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, with the reported intention of desecrating his mausoleum in Tungipara. The NCP was strongly resisted by the local people, staunch supporters of the Awami League. The Bangladesh Army is said to have supported the NCP by firing on unarmed civilians, resulting in the loss of several lives. The Gopalgunj incident has caused a furore, with dissatisfaction against the NCP and the Interim regime reaching new highs. A complaint has now been filed with the United Nations, describing this as a genocidal attack on the people of Bangladesh. Important institutions of state such as the judiciary, the central bank and even the media have been compromised. In August 2024, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Governor of the Bangladesh Bank were surrounded by mobs and forced to resign. This pattern of mobocracy soon became the norm. Strict media control has been ensured by peremptorily taking over media houses. Journalists have been imprisoned since the early days of the interim regime, many on charges of murder. Many have lost their jobs, and face penury. This massive clampdown on an otherwise vibrant and comparatively free media has allowed the interim regime to peddle its own version of events to the global media. Economic distress, a patient India However, it is difficult to hide the overwhelming economic distress being faced by the people. Growth rates have halved from the robust 6% and more per annum, that was the norm under Sheikh Hasina. Factories have shut down due to poor supply chain management, resulting in joblessness and hyper-inflation. In July 2025, Bangladesh Bank highlighted continuing macroeconomic challenges due to 'persistent inflation, uncertainties associated with the forthcoming elections, slowing economic growth and stagnant private investment'. The economic distress is, in many ways, the direct result of the foreign policy goals set by the Yunus regime. As can be expected, the JeI is not averse to the moniker, 'client state of Pakistan', that is increasingly used for Bangladesh. The events of July-August 2024 were preceded and accompanied by vicious anti-India propaganda. Harsh criticism of Sheikh Hasina as a 'fascist dictator' was invariably followed by blaming India for the state of affairs in Bangladesh. The mutually beneficial trade and economic partnership between these two neighbouring countries was criticised as being one-sided and unfair. One year of this unrelenting barrage has now boomeranged on the Yunus regime. Public opinion has turned against it because, except for words, it has provided no succour to the people of Bangladesh. Across the nation, the shared refrain openly describes the 'earlier times' as 'being better', including the benefits to Bangladesh of their strong economic, trade and investment links with India. India has shown a lot of patience in dealing with the interim regime. In August 2024, India had conveyed its willingness to continue with and build upon its links with Bangladesh. In April 2025, during the bilateral meeting with Mr. Yunus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh, enunciating India's people-centric approach to the relationship. Unfortunately, the hand of friendship was rebuffed. Now, a new grouping of China, Pakistan and Bangladesh is sought to be created. Bangladesh must have early free, fair and inclusive elections under a new caretaker government. India is confident that the new elected government, one that truly reflects the wishes of the people of Bangladesh, will work to re-establish a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with India. Veena Sikri is a former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh
Memri
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
For Jolani, The Kurds Are Next
Eight months after the fall of the Assad regime, Syria has plunged further into sectarian and ethnic violence. The U.S. policy of legitimizing and supporting the Syrian Interim Government with the intention of stabilizing the country, has so far failed; it has instead enabled the militias to carry out numerous massacres with full impunity and no accountability. The chaos resulting from the attack against the Alawite and Druze minorities by the government has now spread across Syria. Minorities are being systematically targeted with thousands of civilians killed, women abused, and forced into sexual slavery, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Children massacred by Al-Nusra front, led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, August 5, 2013 After Alawites And The Druze, The Kurds Are Next Recent remarks by Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Turkey and special envoy for Syria, in which he likened Al-Sharaa – a former ISIS and Al-Qaeda member – to George Washington,[1] and rejected federalism for Kurds and other minorities,[2] have been interpreted by the Syrian government as a green light to attack Syria's minorities. After deadly attacks against the Alawites, Druze, and Christians, the Kurds are now the next target of Syrian government backed by Turkey. Since Assad's fall, Turkish proxy forces have launched several large-scale attacks against the Kurds, committing unspeakable atrocities against civilians including massacres, rape, and sexual slavery. If the U.S. pressures the Kurds to disarm, they will face mass killings at the hands of Syrian government forces and Turkish-backed militias. The Kurds have been the most reliable ally of the U.S. in Syria for over a decade; they lost more than 11,000 fighters in the fight against ISIS. Kurdish forces are guarding approximately 9,000 battle-hardened ISIS terrorists in detention facilities, described as a "ticking time bomb" and "a terrorist army in detention" by U.S. officials.[3] There is no guarantee that the Syrian government would keep these terrorists imprisoned. If the Kurds lose control over Northeast Syria, the U.S. will not only lose a loyal partner in the fight against terrorism, but also risk an ISIS resurgence. "There Is No God But Allah, Kurds Are The Enemies Of Allah" Ahmed Al-Sharaa and his militia groups have a long history of takfiri[4] jihad against the Kurds in Syria, guided not by religious difference, as the majority of Kurds are Sunni Muslims, but by their ethnic prejudices against the Kurds, who are not ethnically Arab. In 2013, sheikhs of the Al-Nusra Front led by Al-Sharaa (then Abu Muhammed Al-Jolani) issued the following fatwa against Kurds: "Kurds are kuffar [unbelievers] and killing Kurds, taking their women, plundering their property, and destroying their homes is just and fair."[5] In the first half of 2013, Al-Nusra Front, allied with ISIS and supported by Turkish forces, carried out brutal attacks across Kurdish regions. They burned Kurdish homes, killed civilians indiscriminately, and continued to kidnap many Kurds on a daily basis throughout Syria's Kurdish region, all with Turkish military support on the ground. Al-Nusra carried out numerous massacres of Kurds including approximately 450 people, mainly women and children in Tal Abyad, Tal Hassil, and Tal A'ran. Al-Nusra massacred 120 children and 330 men and women in the district of Tal Abyad on August 5, 2013. More than 1,200 Kurds, men and women, were abducted during this period.[6] In 2018-2019, Al-Sharaa's Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) militia (formerly Al-Nusra) participated in the ethnic cleansing of nearly 500,000 Kurds in northern Syria, particularly Afrin and Serekaniya, in systematic ethnic cleansing campaigns carried out by Turkey to change the demography of the region by settling Arabs, Turkmens, and families of foreign fighters in place of displaced Kurds.[7] Since Al-Sharaa declared himself president of Syria, a calculated and coordinated hate campaign has been launched against Kurds by Syrian media affiliated with the government and Turkish media, with the aim of fueling hatred and inciting violence against the Kurds. "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, a-l-Kurdī ʿaduw Allāh [There is no god but Allah, the Kurd is the enemy of Allah]" has become a popular sectarian and racist slogans chanted by supporters of Al-Sharaa.[8] Ethnic discrimination policies against Kurds have reached alarming levels. On July 21, 2025, Kurdish youths were arrested in Damascus for speaking Kurdish in public.[9] Between July 19-22, 2025, at least 25 Kurds, including underage girls, were abducted by Syrian government forces.[10] These anti-Kurd campaigns are widely seen as a preparatory stage for a military attack against the Kurds. By portraying Kurds as foreigners, saboteurs, Zionist agents, and enemies of the state, Syria and Turkey seek to rally around Arab and Turkic takfiri groups. Declaring Kurds "enemies of God" provides religious legitimacy for their murder and sexual enslavement. If the Syrian regime forces manage to occupy the Kurdish region, a full-scale genocide of Kurds and Christians is to follow in northern Syria. Turkey's Neo-Ottoman Ambitions: "The Road to Jerusalem Goes Through Damascus" The fall of Assad has effectively eliminated the influence of Iran and Russia in Syria, but it has conversely opened the door for Turkey to take control of the country and implement its neo-Ottoman colonial policies. Turkey's end goal is not a peaceful and prosperous Syria, but rather a centralized regime controlled by Ankara, which it can use as a launchpad to target Israel and destabilize the Middle East. While the Shiite "Axis of Resistance" led by Iran has been largely weakened, a new Sunni "Axis of Resistance" led by Turkey and funded by Qatar is emerging in Syria, which is, in the long run, anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-Israeli. Before the fall of Assad, the Kurdish forces were a major obstacle to IRGC expansionism in Syria due to their geographical position. Similarly, they are now a major obstacle for Turkey and Qatar's ambitions to form a Sunni coalition hostile to American and Israeli interests. Conclusion: Kurds And Other Minorities Demand Federalism In a recent interview U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack claimed, "I think all of the minority communities are smart enough to say, 'We're better off together, centralized.'"[11] This statement contradicts the consistent demands from minorities – Kurds, Alawites, Druzes, and Christians – for a decentralized, federal system, and an end to authoritarianism. Al-Sharaa's reliance on sectarian, extremist policies, have led to bloodbaths in large parts of Syria. As president of Syria, he has failed to meet U.S. expectations: Rather than guiding the country toward stability, his government has intensified repression against minorities and increased sectarian violence across Syria. Therefore, a new U.S. Syria policy is needed to prevent further sectarian and ethnic bloodshed, to prioritize a federal system that gives communities control over their regions. On top of that, Turkey must be prevented from dominating Syria and use it a staging ground to destabilize the region and undermine U.S. interests. The U.S. must continue to support the Kurds in Northern Syria who control around 30 percent of the country. If the U.S. abandons the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition, it will not only betray a loyal partner, it will also lose its foothold in Syria and risk the creation of an anti-American Sunni "Axis of Resistance." *Himdad Mustafa is special advisor to MEMRI's Kurdish Studies Project.
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
With charges against Sheikh Hasina, ICT in Bangladesh has come full circle
Written by Sreeradha Datta It is an ironic twist of fate to see the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT), formed in 1973 and revived by Sheikh Hasina herself to try those who had committed crimes during the Liberation War of 1971, now poised to indict her. Hasina, the longest-serving prime minister of Bangladesh, is being held accountable for the alleged crimes committed during her last tenure, specifically during the students' anti-quota uprising that led to her overthrow. Earlier this May, investigators submitted their report on the July–August 2024 killings, naming her as the one who issued the orders for the security forces to open fire on the protesters. To recall briefly, Sheikh Hasina took office in January 2009 with a huge mandate. To consolidate power, she ushered in amendments, including the abolition of the caretaker government (CTG) system in 2011 — a system unique to Bangladesh, which had served well in assisting the Election Commission to hold free and fair elections. Ironically, it was Hasina who had insisted on legally introducing the CTG in 1996. While she believed Bangladesh was ready to hold elections without a CTG, the opposition disagreed. Hasina then went on to use the Digital Security Act to silence any dissenting voices. The government's impunity was exemplified by elections marred by allegations of rigging, and the use of state apparatus to undermine the autonomy and independence of institutions, enabling a coterie that wielded disproportionate influence over policymaking. During the July–August uprising, security forces initiated a brutal crackdown on protesters. In the face of growing public anger and the Army's inability to guarantee her safety, she fled to India, where she continues to reside, reassuring her supporters of her return in glory to her homeland. Within days of Hasina's escape, the Interim Government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took over, promising to bring the accused to justice. The ICT, which has previously executed four Jamaat leaders and a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, will now hear the five charges filed against Hasina. A three-judge tribunal — comprising Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood, and Mohammad Mohitul Haque Anam Chawdhury — will be hearing the charges. Two others charged are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the then IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. The latter is in police custody, while Hasina and Khan remain outside the country. This is the first time Hasina has been formally charged by the ICT in connection with the crackdown that took place during the July-August protests. She has also been accused of running secret detention centres. The Interim Government has further alleged that she orchestrated the disappearance of more than 3,500 people. A report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted the excesses that occurred under her watch. The report also reiterated that up to 13 per cent of those killed during the uprising were children. Hasina will be tried on five specific charges, including the killing of unarmed protester Abu Sayed at close range, shot in the chest without provocation. The next hearing is scheduled for June 16. Whether physically in Bangladesh or tried in absentia, Hasina will be prosecuted under the ICT Act of 1973. Bangladesh has already requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina. There will now be a renewed attempt at a higher diplomatic level. However, the likelihood of India agreeing to extradite Hasina is low. Although a bilateral extradition treaty exists, the caveats are significant. From the Indian perspective, Hasina's trial, given the prevailing political atmosphere in Bangladesh, is unlikely to be free and fair. Apart from the ICT, requesting the involvement of the International Criminal Court is also an option for Dhaka. The writer is Professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O P Jindal Global University, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore
Times of Oman
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
"Question about Yunus resigning was complete drama to divert attention," says former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh
New Delhi: Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri on Sunday claimed that the speculation about Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus resigning was "complete drama" to distract from the statement of Bangladesh Army chief about conducting elections. "The question about Muhammad Yunus resigning was a complete drama. He had no intention of resigning at all, and in fact, he never said himself that he would resign," the former High Commissioner told ANI. Saying that on May 21, Bangladesh army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had held discussions with other army officers in which they insisted on conducting elections at the end of 2025. "It was just a drama meant to divert attention away from what the army chief and all the army officers had said to him. On the 21st of May, the army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had invited all the army officers and the discussion was held with all the army officers and then he came out with five points and in those five points there was one very clear point that the army is insisting that elections must be held in Bangladesh by the end of this year," she said. She said that earlier, after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, it was the Army General who agreed that Yunus could be sworn in as head chief advisor, but the interim government has no authority to do reform. "This is only an interim government and not even a caretaker government. They have no authority to do reform, do they have authority to change the constitution, they have no such authority," she said. Earlier on May 24, Yunus quashed all rumours about his resignation or leaving the country, as an unscheduled meeting of the Advisory Council was held on Saturday, after the National Economic Council meeting. The meeting discussed the three primary responsibilities--elections, reforms, and justice--assigned to the interim government. "The interim government will listen to the statements of political parties in this regard and clarify the government's position," the Advisory Council said in a statement after the meeting. The meeting was held at the Planning Commission in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of the capital under the chairmanship of Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. The meeting discussed in detail how the normal working environment is being disrupted and doubts and suspicions are being created in the public mind by making various unreasonable demands, motivated and extra-judicial statements and programs in the discharge of these responsibilities, the statement said. "The Advisory Council believes that greater unity is needed to keep the country stable, advance the election, justice and reform work and permanently prevent the arrival of dictatorship in this country," it added. The statement said that the interim government will listen to the statements of political parties in this regard and clarify the government's position. Several political parties, including Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been demanding parliamentary elections by December. However, the National Citizens Party (NCP), a new party led by students who led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, wants fundamental reforms before the elections. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is allegedly supporting the NCP. The BNP activists have taken up a protest in front of Jamuna, the residence of the Chief Adviser, in Dhaka, demanding the removal of two student advisers from the interim government's cabinet.
