Latest news with #JulyProclamation
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Is Bangladesh slipping into authoritarianism?
On June 7, on the eve of Eid ul Azha, the Chief Adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, delivered a televised address to the nation, promising to hold elections in April 2026. He also announced that the country would witness the launch of the 'July Proclamation', which had been earlier planned by student activists to 'bury' the Constitution of Bangladesh, as it is linked to the founder of Bangladesh and Awami League co-founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Prof. Yunus said that the document will 'include a list of reform proposals, agreed upon by all parties, aimed at building a welfare-oriented state.' As the interim government of Bangladesh has announced that there could be constitutional reforms, there are concerns that the country is slipping into authoritarianism. Is Bangladesh slipping into authoritarianism? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Smruti S. Pattanaik, Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses; Sanjay Pulipaka, Chairperson of the Politeia Research Foundation Host: Kallol Bhattacherjee Audio edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian You can now find The Hindu's podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
In Id speech, Yunus revives July Proclamation that was planned by students to ‘bury' Bangladesh's 1972 constitution
In his Id speech delivered on Friday (June 6, 2025), the Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, Prof. Mohammed Yunus announced that the next national election will be held in April 2026. However, he announced the country would witness the launch of the 'July Proclamation', a document that he said was 'agreed upon by all parties'. The July Proclamation was earlier planned by student activists to 'bury' the constitution of Bangladesh, as it is linked to the founder of Bangladesh and Awami League co-founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Also Read | Bangladesh drops the title of 'Father of the Nation' for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 'The students who led and participated in the July Uprising have announced plans to issue a July Declaration. They invited me to be part of it. I suggested that it would be more meaningful if the declaration is issued jointly — by all political leaders, civil society representatives and others. This Charter is a promise,' Mr. Yunus said in the speech, where he did not mention the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose images were dropped from the new currency notes printed by the interim government last week. It was reported by The Hindu that the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, that led the uprising against then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, announced in a press conference on December 29, 2024, that they wanted to 'bury' the 1972 constitution of Bangladesh and launch the 'July Proclamation' in a public meeting on December 31, 2024, at the Shahid Minar of Dhaka. Also Read | People disappointed with announcement of Bangladesh polls in April 2026: BNP The students paused the plan at the last moment after the military reportedly intervened, fearing that replacing the constitution with a charter drawn from the July-August uprising would have destabilised Bangladesh further. However, in the Id speech, Mr. Yunus indicated that the July Proclamation that was to be launched by the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement has said this time the 'July Proclamation' will 'include a list of reform proposals, agreed upon by all parties, aimed at building a welfare-oriented state. By signing it, the parties will pledge to implement these reforms.' He, however, did not specify the legal validity of such a charter overseen by an interim administration. Also Read | Bangladesh Army at odds with government on Myanmar corridor The timing of the speech drew attention as it came days after Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman and the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) criticised the government for being slow in holding the promised election and demanded that the election must be held by December 2025. The BNP has not yet expressed its opinion on whether it would sign the July Proclamation that Mr. Yunus mentioned in his speech. Soon after the speech, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the largest overground political party, held a meeting in the party headquarters in Gulshan neighbourhood and opposed the idea of holding elections in April 2026. However, Mr. Yunus argued that 'free, transparent and peaceful election to pave the way for transfer of power' can take place only after ensuring justice for the killings of agitators during July-August 2024. 'We are confident that visible progress will be made in the delivery of justice for these actions by that time,' Mr. Yunus said, indicating the verdicts in the cases related to the police action in last year's uprising will be completed before April 2026.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
In Id speech, Yunus revives July Proclamation that was planned by students to 'bury' Bangladesh's 1972 constitution
In his Id speech delivered on Friday, the Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, Prof. Mohammed Yunus announced that the next national election will be held in April 2026. However, he announced the country would witness the launch of the 'July Proclamation', a document that he said was 'agreed upon by all parties'. The July Proclamation was earlier planned by student activists to 'bury' the constitution of Bangladesh, as it is linked to the founder of Bangladesh and Awami League co-founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 'The students who led and participated in the July Uprising have announced plans to issue a July Declaration. They invited me to be part of it. I suggested that it would be more meaningful if the declaration is issued jointly — by all political leaders, civil society representatives and others. This Charter is a promise,' Mr. Yunus said in the speech, where he did not mention the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose images were dropped from the new currency notes printed by the interim government last week. It was reported by The Hindu that the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, that led the uprising against then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, announced in a press conference on December 29, 2024, that they wanted to 'bury' the 1972 constitution of Bangladesh and launch the 'July Proclamation' in a public meeting on December 31, 2024, at the Shahid Minar of Dhaka. The students paused the plan at the last moment after the military reportedly intervened, fearing that replacing the constitution with a charter drawn from the July-August uprising would have destabilised Bangladesh further. However, in the Id speech, Mr. Yunus indicated that the July Proclamation that was to be launched by the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement has said this time the 'July Proclamation' will 'include a list of reform proposals, agreed upon by all parties, aimed at building a welfare-oriented state. By signing it, the parties will pledge to implement these reforms.' He, however, did not specify the legal validity of such a charter overseen by an interim administration. The timing of the speech drew attention as it came days after Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman and the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) criticised the government for being slow in holding the promised election and demanded that the election must be held by December 2025. The BNP has not yet expressed its opinion on whether it would sign the July Proclamation that Mr. Yunus mentioned in his speech. Soon after the speech, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the largest overground political party, held a meeting in the party headquarters in Gulshan neighbourhood and opposed the idea of holding elections in April 2026. However, Mr. Yunus argued that 'free, transparent and peaceful election to pave the way for transfer of power' can take place only after ensuring justice for the killings of agitators during July-August 2024. 'We are confident that visible progress will be made in the delivery of justice for these actions by that time,' Mr. Yunus said, indicating the verdicts in the cases related to the police action in last year's uprising will be completed before April 2026.
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Business Standard
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Yunus to stay on as interim govt head, says Bangladesh's planning adviser
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.
India Today
24-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Muhammad Yunus to stay chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government
Muhammad Yunus will remain as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, an adviser in his cabinet said on Saturday, two days after a key ally said he mulled resignation."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 after an unscheduled meeting of the advisory added: 'He (Yunus) is definitely staying." He added that none of the advisers were going anywhere as "the responsibility entrusted to us is a significant one; we cannot abandon this duty".The chief adviser's decision to stay in office came two days after he told student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders that he was mulling resignation as he felt "the situation is such that he cannot work", citing difficulties in working amid the failure of political parties to find common ground for reportedly expressed an identical desire to quit in a cabinet meeting earlier on Thursday, where his colleagues persuaded him not to many as 19 advisers, effectively ministers, joined the abruptly called closed-door meeting, which Yunus decided to convene following a scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area in through the meeting, adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters that discussions were focused on the elections, Yunus's reform agenda, and the belated July Proclamation — a manifesto to mark last year's student-led uprising that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami convenor Nahid Islam emerged from the meeting with had earlier said that he urged Yunus "to stay strong for the sake of the country's security, and future and to meet the expectations of the mass uprising, (and) I hope everyone will cooperate with him".Analysts saw the chief adviser's resignation threat as a test of public backing and political is expected to meet leaders of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami later in the day, following his overnight call for talks amid the evolving political situation of recent to the chief adviser's press wing, a BNP delegation would meet the chief advisers at 7:00 pm while Jamaat leaders would meet him at 8:00 senior BNP leaders, including Abdul Moyeen Khan and Salahuddin Ahmed said earlier that the party hoped Yunus would oversee an early general election and step down with dignity, rather than resign BNP has emerged as the key actor in the political arena after the ouster of the Awami League regime in August last which had appeared to align with the NCP as the BNP distanced itself from its former ally, said a fair election was the only way to restore public trust."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 key Jamaat leader Syed Abdullah M Syeda Rizwana Hasan, a key adviser in Yunus's cabinet, said the interim government was not formed solely to hold elections but also to implement reforms and ensure development of Yunus's resignation came amid reports of discord between the military and the interim government over the possible timeline for holding the parliamentary elections and a policy issue related to Bangladesh's security affairs involving a proposed humanitarian corridor of aid channel to Myanmar's rebel-held Rakhine chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman along with the navy and air force chiefs met Yunus three days ago and reportedly reiterated their call for election by December this year to allow an elected government to take charge and conveyed their reservation about the corridor next day, Zaman held a senior officers meeting at Dhaka Cantonment and said he was unaware of several strategic decisions despite the military's active military also decided to be tough against rampant 'mob justice' in discharging their law enforcement duties. Meanwhile, troops who were called out of their barracks with magistracy power to maintain law and order were seen intensifying their street patrols and security analysts called the meeting crucial to consolidate the military last year's protests, the army avoided a crackdown, instead extended its hand for Hasina's safe exit to India. It also supported Yunus' appointment as chief adviser, as demanded by the SAD, much of which later formed the administration recently disbanded Hasina's Awami League, sending many of its senior leaders, including former ministers, to jail to face trial for charges like crimes against has been facing calls from political parties, including the BNP, to announce a date for the next elections. His reported threat to resign came a day after the party rallied thousands of supporters to stage a large-scale protest demanding an election at the week, the party also demanded the removal of the remaining student representatives from the cabinet, while the NCP in response called for the ouster of two advisers, alleging that they were serving the BNP's purpose by staying in the South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been in political turmoil since the ouster of the past regime, but it escalated in the past several days with rival parties and trade unions or pressure groups protesting on the streets of the capital Dhaka, with a string of competing InMust Watch
