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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Yunus's obsession with power and support for Islamists are pushing Bangladesh to the brink
Muhammad Yunus likes conflict because he uses it to gain power. Conflict gives him the leeway to pronounce his continuity. He will try to muddy the water to secure as much leverage as he can read more Yunus was supposed to restore normalcy and clear the clutter to initiate the election. Paradoxically, the election does not feature in his political itinerary. Image: AFP The drama of Muhammad Yunus's resignation will not end anytime soon. The octogenarian's love for power is insatiable. He can go to any extent to save his skin and to hold onto power. Bangladeshi Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman's insistence on conducting the election in the fag end of this year or early next year and his resentment over Yunus's unbridled use of power despite being an unelected chief advisor have unearthed a feud between the chief advisor and the army chief. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yunus has jihadis on his side to exercise street veto to ensure continuity. Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) reportedly secures patronage from Yunus and expands its tentacles to safeguard the political status quo. Is the resignation drama a dog-whistling? Yunus may encourage antagonism between opposing forces to underline the persistence of the shaky reality of Bangladesh. The impatient Bangladesh requires no compelling trigger to intensify the ongoing chaos. This will ensure the deferral of the electoral process and insurance for his continuity. Nine months have passed since Yunus took power under the carefully planted and measured mechanism called the students' protest, overthrowing Sheikh Hasina for the alleged death of democracy. This is the most convenient phraseology the Western propaganda machinery uses to inflict regime change. Being an American Trojan horse, Yunus did not deviate from pursuing the standard Western line to seize power. Yunus was supposed to restore normalcy and clear the clutter to initiate the election. Paradoxically, the election does not feature in his political itinerary. He behaves more like an elected entity and carries out crucial decisions, signs, and nullifies deals on a whim or to satisfy his bosses. Waker-Uz-Zaman is right to remind Yunus of his duties. This will surely fall on deaf ears. Yunus will not change his colour. He will toe the line that he is told to do. He has been brought to power with a purpose. Unless he does that, his relevance will dissipate. Waker-Uz-Zaman's resentments or concerns will have ripple effects. It is time to see how he exercises his weight as the Army Chief. Inarguably, he wields power and can act as a counterweight to Yunus's jihadi-led street power. The political travesty undoubtedly takes an interesting turn now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yunus likes conflict because he uses it to gain power. Conflict gives him the leeway to pronounce his continuity. He will try to muddy the water to secure as much leverage as he can. He weaponises clutter to exercise his relevance. Deception is his survival tactic. Bangladesh has become the battleground for the shadow war between China and the US. Yunus goes to China and makes comments on India's landlocked Northeast. He tactically deployed a slip of the tongue to deliver a message and provoke India. This, Yunus thinks, will make the Chinese happy. The Chinese never foreground emotion. They underline only their interest. On the other hand, Yunus serves the US interest because he was reportedly brought to power by the US deep state. With Yunus as a Trojan horse, the US has entered fully into Bangladesh to check the increasing Chinese interest. Rakhine Corridor The bone of contention between Yunus and Waker-Uz-Zaman is the Rakhine Corridor. The former succumbs to the US interest. The latter construes that the Rakhine corridor compromises Bangladeshi sovereignty. This critical issue puts them at loggerheads. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China has penetrated significantly into Myanmar. The latter's chronic political instability has helped Beijing to push its interests. Connecting China to the Bay of Bengal through Myanmar is its core strategic objective. This will strengthen China's connectivity architecture and geopolitical footings in the Bay of Bengal region. It will also ease its Malacca dilemma. Rare earth deposits in coastal Myanmar also attract China. The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) is a Chinese flagship project that includes the ambitious Yunnan-Kyaukphyu oil and gas pipeline, the Kyaukphyu port, and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine state. To counter the growing Chinese influence, the US enters the region. There is also reportedly Russian interest in Myanmar. The Russian Su-30 fighter jets in the Junta air force increase the latter's air power to carry out precise strikes at rebel strongholds. The US also pushes its interests to thwart the Chinese hegemony in the region. Since Bangladesh shares a border with the Rakhine state, the US finds the passageway to enter Myanmar. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US insists that Bangladesh should allow the aid and supplies, including military, medical, and other essentials, to the insurgents in Chin and Rakhine states for their fight against the military junta. The Arakan Army has succeeded in securing territories under its control in Rakhine province. The US emphasises supply routes to strengthen the Arakan Army. The Cox Bazar airport has also become important because of its proximity to Rakhine state. It can be used if the junta intensifies the air attacks on the insurgents. These developments disturb China and its ambitious Yunnan-Kyaukphyu connectivity. Bangladesh's economy depends largely on China. Its military equipment is imported from Beijing. Yunus finds himself between Scylla and Charybdis. He can upset neither China nor the US. He finds himself in the curious middle. China has increasingly come closer to the Junta because of the US support for the Arakan Army. The grey zone war has already begun between the US and China in Myanmar. In the great power rivalry in Myanmar, India may support the Arakan Army to safeguard its interests because of its $484 million land-and-sea Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Corridor (KMMTTC). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yunus tiptoes dangerously to secure a place in the middle. Can he really steady his shaky political career in Bangladesh? He has become increasingly unpopular in Bangladesh. His authoritarianism has crossed all conceivable limits. If the Arakan Army and other rebel outfits in Chin and Rakhine states succeed in their fight against the military junta, can there be risks to Bangladesh's sovereignty? They allude to something gravely problematic. The Arakan Army has reportedly gained control of Myanmar's key border points along Bangladesh. Waker-Uz-Zaman understands the volatility of the region and the possible intensification of conflict. Bangladesh is not economically sound to wage any war, small, medium, or large. In case of hostility between Bangladesh and the Arakan Army, the situation of the former may exacerbate beyond repair. Since Yunus entered Bangladesh politics, he has messed up everything. Moreover, his political inexperience, love for power, and weird experimentations will further push Bangladesh to the brink of disaster. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jajati K Pattnaik is an Associate Professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Chandan K Panda is an Assistant Professor at Rajiv Gandhi University (A Central University), Itanagar. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
The Print
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Bangladesh Army Chief wants elections. Muhammad Yunus wants to get rid of him
'Bangladesh needs political stability. This is only possible through an elected government, not by unelected decision-makers,' one source quoted the army chief as saying in an Officers' Address. On 22 May, The Daily Star , Bangladesh's highest-selling English newspaper, reported that Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman said the national election should be held by December this year, 'according to three sources with direct knowledge of his remarks made at a high-level gathering in Dhaka cantonment'. Among military chiefs in the Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman must have the most unenviable job right now. While his Pakistan counterpart Asim Munir has been elevated to Field Marshal after a military confrontation with India, General Waker-Uz-Zaman risks losing his job. Or worse. His one big mistake? Saying that the national election be held by December this year so that Bangladesh can return to being an electoral democracy. This was not the first time the General had spoken about the national election. The Daily Star report mentioned an event marking the National Martyred Army Day at Raowa Club on 25 February this year, where the General was quoted as saying—'Every time I spoke with Dr Yunus, I completely agreed with him that there should be a free, fair, and inclusive election and that the election should be held within December or close to that.' Soon after, reports that Muhammad Yunus, caretaker to the interim government in Bangladesh, was mulling resignation came out. 'He (Yunus) said he is thinking about it (resignation). He feels that the situation is such that he cannot work,' Nahid Islam, student-led National Citizen Party chief, said on the night of 22 May, after a meeting with Yunus. Two days later, on 24 May, it was clarified that Yunus would remain as the head of Bangladesh's interim government by an adviser in his cabinet. Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri claimed that the speculation about Yunus resigning was 'complete drama' to distract from the Bangladesh Army chief's statement on elections. 'He had no intention of resigning at all, and in fact, he never said himself that he would resign,' the former High Commissioner said in an interview. But this 'complete drama' generated hate towards Yunus's perceived detractors, the main target being General Waker-Uz-Zaman. Students, radicals, and some of Bangladesh's most popular and influential YouTubers openly attacked the army chief. Bangladeshi journalist Sahidul Hasan Khokon told ThePrint that both the student-led, newly formed political party National Citizen Party and the Islamist political outfit Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami have been busy channelising mob rage against General Waker. 'The local media is not reporting this, but the mob is ready. If need be, there will be violent street protests against the Army, like there were during the July revolution against Hasina when the mob turned against the police and killed many policemen,' Hasan said. Hasan added that Jamaat had got a free rein ever since Yunus took over and the new student's party will need more time to organise itself. Hence, December polls, as suggested by General Waker, would suit neither of them. Meanwhile, some of Bangladesh's most influential YouTubers, such as Elias Hossain and Pinaki Bhattacharya, have been busy drumming up support for Yunus and channelising hate against General Waker. In a video that has now gone viral, Hossain said that even if General Waker prays five times a day, it will be in vain as he became a kafir the day Hasina made him the Army chief. There have been speculations about 'foreign hands' that are firmly in support of Yunus during his hour of need. Foreign affairs commentator and Bangladesh specialist Ayanjit Sen told ThePrint that Yunus has support not only from within but outside the country as well. 'Apart from the strong presence and regular interference of the ISI in dictating Bangladesh's foreign and internal policy decisions, the role of China cannot be ruled out. Remember, China was the first country Yunus visited after taking oath as caretaker, and there has been a surge of Chinese business setups inside Bangladesh now,' Sen said, adding China wouldn't want to deal with a new Bangladeshi premier since Yunus has been working in their interest. Also read: Muhammad Yunus wants women's rights in Bangladesh. First rein in Islamic radicals The Hasina stain With so many pressure groups working for Yunus and against him, these are difficult days for General Waker-Uz-Zaman. In January this year, there were reports of a pro-Islamist senior officer in the Bangladesh army, Lieutenant General Mohammad Faizur Rahman, plotting a coup. Though it hasn't taken place yet, General Waker has had to fend off criticism ever since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August last year. The main reason for that is General Waker is related to Hasina. The four-star general is a distant relative—his mother-in-law Sarhanaz, was a first cousin of Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. General Waker-uz-Zaman's father-in-law, General Mustafizur Rahman, served as the 9th Army chief of Bangladesh from December 1997 to December 2000 during Hasina's first tenure as Prime Minister. His family ties with Hasina have made General Waker a target of hate campaigns. Bangladeshi political columnist SM Faiyaz Hossain told ThePrint that when the Army chief starts sounding more democratic than a Nobel Peace Prize winner, you know Bangladesh's political theatre has become a stage for satire. 'The country will do well to hear what General Waker has to say. But who is listening!' he said. Deep Halder is an author and a contributing editor at ThePrint. He tweets @deepscribble. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bangladesh army chief, Yunus differ on holding elections
New Delhi: Differences between Bangladesh's caretaker administration and the military appear to have come to a head, with the army pushing chief adviser Muhammad Yunus to hold elections by the end of the year so that an elected government is in place by early 2026, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The interim government'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 to help Rohingya refugees are among the key issues of divergence between the army and the interim government, people in New Delhi and Dhaka said on condition of anonymity. Nobel laureate Yunus became head of the caretaker administration last August after protests spearheaded by students led to the dramatic collapse of the government of Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in self-exile in New Delhi. In recent months, Yunus has told interlocutors from several countries, including India, that he intends holding elections by the year-end provided certain reforms are carried out. If the reforms require more time, he has suggested the elections could be held by mid-2026. The issue of the elections figured in two key meetings this week in Dhaka – a meeting on the law and order situation chaired by Yunus on Tuesday that was attended by army chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, navy chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan and air force chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and an internal meeting of senior army officials held on Wednesday that was addressed by Waker-Uz-Zaman, the people said. 'The Bangladesh Army chief has been saying for a long time that elections should be held within 18 months of the formation of the interim government so that the troops can return to the barracks. This has been conveyed to the interim government again, with the expectation that an elected government will be in place by January or February at the latest,' a person familiar with the thinking within the army said. Waker-Uz-Zaman's remarks at Thursday's internal army meeting in Dhaka cantonment were also leaked to the Bangladeshi media. 'Bangladesh needs political stability. This is only possible through an elected government, not by unelected decision-makers,' he was quoted as saying at the meeting by The Daily Star newspaper. 'The army is meant for defending the nation, not for must return to barracks after elections,' he also said, according to the daily. The general rejected the proposal for a corridor with Myanmar's Rakhine state on the grounds that Bangladesh's sovereignty is not negotiable, the people cited above said. Such 'risky and sensitive' matters cannot be decided by an unelected government while keeping the armed forces in the dark, Waker-uz-Zaman contended, according to the people. The army chief also questioned the handling of the economy and expressed concern at high-risk decisions made by unelected administrations, such as allowing the launch of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet services, the people said. The officer corps of the Bangladesh Army has expressed support for the chief, the people said, adding that the army wouldn't tolerate mob violence or lawlessness of any kind. The people said most of the differences between the military and the interim government had emerged because of decisions made by people around Yunus, particularly National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, who has been widely seen as pushing the Rakhine corridor proposal. 'There appear to be multiple power centres in the interim government, and its actions have lacked consistency,' a second person said. 'No one appears to have a firm grip on matters of governance and things seem to be drifting.' On Thursday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) called for the removal of Rahman, with party leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi questioning his appointment by Yunus. 'How did someone as controversial as Rahman, known as an architect of the conspiracy to hand over corridors, channels and ports to foreigners, get appointed as the NSA?' Rizvi said at a news conference. India's relations with Bangladesh have hit an all-time low since the dispensation led by Yunus came to power, and New Delhi has decided to adopt a wait and watch approach in light of the latest developments, the people said. However, the Bangladesh Army is being seen as a factor of stability at a time when the interim government's actions have emboldened radical elements and led to the release of militant leaders from jail, they added. The Indian and Bangladesh governments have repeatedly clashed over the issue of the repression of Bangladesh's religious minorities. India last week restricted imports of ready-made garments from Bangladesh only to Kolkata and Nhava Sheva ports and barred imports of a range of consumer goods through 13 land border posts in the northeast and West Bengal in response to restrictions adopted by Dhaka, reflecting the downturn in ties.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bangladesh army chief wants elections 'by December'
Bangladesh's powerful Army chief has said the first elections since the country's former leader was ousted in a mass uprising should be held by December, local media reported and military sources confirmed on Thursday (May 22, 2025). General Waker-Uz-Zaman was reported to have told officers on Wednesday that elections should be held by December this year — if not earlier, according to Bangladeshi newspapers. The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since the student-led revolt that ousted then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August, with parties protesting on the streets making rafts of demands. "Bangladesh is passing through a chaotic phase," Mr. Waker-Uz-Zaman said, according to the newspapers. "The situation is worsening by the day. The structure of the civil administration and law enforcement agencies has collapsed and failed to reconstitute." No date has been set for elections, but interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has promised polls will be held by June 2026 at the latest. But the key Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), seen as the front-runners in the elections, have repeatedly demanded an election date. The BNP on Wednesday held protests in the capital Dhaka, significant in that they for the first time demonstrated against the caretaker government. In response to a question from an officer, the Army chief reportedly said: "Elections should be held by December, if not earlier." He also is reported to have told officers to "carry out your duties with honesty and impartiality during the election". It was Waker-Uz-Zaman who announced in August last year that Ms. Hasina had been overthrown, with the military taking brief control. Days later, Waker-Uz-Zaman handed over power to Mr. Yunus, 84, who has said he will lead the caretaker government until the next elections. Lieutenant Colonel Sami-Ud-Dowla Chowdhury, the military spokesperson, confirmed that Waker-Uz-Zaman had addressed officers on Wednesday but said the "meeting was confidential". But three sources with direct knowledge of the meeting told AFP that the army chief emphasised the urgency of holding elections and said they should be held by December. Known for his calm demeanour, Waker-Uz-Zaman appeared frustrated and dissatisfied during the session, they said.
India Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
No bloody corridor: Bangladesh Army chief's warning makes Yunus govt blink
Bangladesh's interim government of Muhammad Yunus has made a sharp U-turn on its proposal for a "humanitarian" corridor to Myanmar's Rakhine State after a stern warning from Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman. The Bangladesh Army chief called it a "bloody corridor", and pushed back after Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain unilaterally announced that the interim government had agreed to the UN-proposed Rakhine corridor. There is a growing concern in Bangladesh that the corridor would impede upon its sovereignty and is being pushed by the US for geostrategic the concerns over the Rakhine corridor, Bangladesh observers suggest that Yunus and his loyalists are giving in to the US demand to stay on in power without elections."The Bangladesh Army will never be involved in any activity that is harmful to sovereignty. Nor will anyone be allowed to do so," Waker-Uz-Zaman said in his warning to the Yunus-led interim government on Wednesday. "National interest must come first in any action. Whatever is done must be guided by political consensus," Zaman was quoted as saying by the Dhaka also asked Yunus to hold early elections, stop interfering in military matters, and keep the army in a loop on key issues, like the Rakhine Corridor corridor, starting in eastern Bangladesh's Chattogram Division, was considered as a route to deliver aid to civilians in the war-torn Rakhine region of Myanmar. However, it sparked controversy after several voices from within Bangladesh, including Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a few Left parties, strongly objected to it, calling it "unilateral and illegal".advertisementIrrespective of the criticism, the interim government had pushed for the corridor, which some experts viewed as part of an American power play to counter China."In reality, the US and UN initiative has substantial, multifaceted security concerns, including a severe risk to sovereignty for Bangladesh and Myanmar," according to an opinion piece in the Dhaka Tribune."There are fears that humanitarian aid could be used as a pretext for foreign influence, and this corridor could serve as a channel for military logistics or intelligence," according to the GOVT GOES BACK ON RAKHINE CORRIDORFollowing General Zaman's stern warning, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, who was appointed by Yunus just weeks ago, clarified that the government had not discussed the corridor with any party and would not do so in future."The UN only asked if Bangladesh could assist in sending humanitarian aid near the border, to be delivered to the Rakhine state by UN partners. We said we can consider," Khalilur Rahman was quoted as saying by the Dhaka-based Daily is also Yunus' High Representative for Rohingya issues and priority matters.A crackdown by the Burmese Junta and the civil war in the Rakhine state of Myanmar pushed the Rohingya into hasty retreat by Khalilur Rahman, who is seen as a confidante of Yunus, reverses an earlier statement made on the Rakhine corridor by Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain."The UN wants to create a humanitarian corridor through Bangladesh to send humanitarian aid to Myanmar's Rakhine state. The transitional government has agreed in principle to this, subject to conditions," Hossain was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune in April. He, however, did not mention the proposed Rakhine corridor is aimed at delivery of aid to Myanmar's Rakhine State, where over 2 million people are facing famine due to a civil war and an earthquake. While the region is in turmoil, Rohingya, an ethnic and religious minority in Myanmar, have fled in lakhs to Bangladesh and currently hosts approximately 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, with 1,18,000 settling in Chattogram division's Cox's Bazar in 2024. The situation has also given rise to security concerns, including risks of arms smuggling and increased criminal the Yunus government's U-turn was triggered by General Zaman's verbal blitz, the opposition had also pushed back strongly on the Rakhine EXPERTS HAD SLAMMED YUNUS GOVT ON RAKHINE CORRIDORThe Rakhine corridor had ignited controversy with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who vehemently opposed the interim government's in May, Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, said in a video message, "The interim government's decision to allow the corridor was undemocratic and had been taken while the public and political parties were kept in the dark"."The interests of the people of the country must be ensured, not those of foreign nations. All these considerations should be made by a democratically elected parliament that represents the people," hinting that the interim government of Yunus was not democratically elected and does not have a mandate to take decisions on such chief Zaman also insisted on political consensus on such journalist Subir Bhaumik, in an India Today opinion piece, claimed that the Rakhine corridor was seen as part of an American power play to block China's land-to-sea access granted by the Burmese military Bangladeshi diplomat Munshi Faiz Ahmad also issued a stark warning about the corridor into Myanmar's Rakhine state, saying it could risk the nation falling into a foreign trap."The strength of our friendship with China lies in mutual respect and non-interference... We must retain absolute control over any such corridor. Without it, we should categorically reject the idea... Otherwise, we risk walking into a noose that could bind us in ways we cannot afford," Munshi Faiz Ahmad told the Dhaka-based Yunus government's hasty reversal on the Rakhine corridor reveals the shaky ground it stands on, while also projecting the army, arguably the only credible and secular institution left in Dhaka, as the unbiased guardian of Bangladesh. The government's cautious recalibration now signals a desire to avoid confrontation with a military that is already showing signs of losing patience with Watch
