Latest news with #Yunus'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Japan to give $1.06 billion to Bangladesh in budget support, Dhaka says
Japan will provide $1.063 billion in support to Bangladesh for budget assistance, railway upgrades and education, Dhaka said on Friday (May 30, 2025), as interim head Muhammad Yunus visits Tokyo to strengthen ties between the two countries. The package includes $418 million as a development policy loan to Bangladesh to help with economic reforms and climate resilience, Mr. Yunus' press office said in a statement. Another $641 million will be used to upgrade a railway line while Japan will also provide $4.2 million in grants for scholarships for Bangladeshi students. Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday met with Nobel Peace laureate Yunus, who took over as interim head of the South Asian country last August, after deadly student-led protests forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Japan to give $1.06 billion to Bangladesh in budget support, Dhaka says
DHAKA: Japan will provide $1.063 billion in support to Bangladesh for budget assistance, railway upgrades and education, Dhaka said on Friday, as interim head Muhammad Yunus visits Tokyo to strengthen ties between the two countries. The package includes $418 million as a development policy loan to Bangladesh to help with economic reforms and climate resilience, Yunus' press office said in a statement. Another $641 million will be used to upgrade a railway line while Japan will also provide $4.2 million in grants for scholarships for Bangladeshi students. Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday met with Nobel Peace laureate Yunus, who took over as interim head of the South Asian country last August, after deadly student-led protests forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Japan grants $1.06B aid to Bangladesh for reforms, rail
DHAKA: Japan will provide $1.063 billion in support to Bangladesh for budget assistance, railway upgrades and education, Dhaka said on Friday, as interim head Muhammad Yunus visits Tokyo to strengthen ties between the two countries. The package includes $418 million as a development policy loan to Bangladesh to help with economic reforms and climate resilience, Yunus' press office said in a statement. Another $641 million will be used to upgrade a railway line while Japan will also provide $4.2 million in grants for scholarships for Bangladeshi students. Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday met with Nobel Peace laureate Yunus, who took over as interim head of the South Asian country last August, after deadly student-led protests forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bangladesh elections to be held by June 2026? Yunus set deadline amid pressure from ‘impatient politicians'
As pressure mounts on Bangladesh's interim government to conduct fresh elections, Muhammad Yunus has set a deadline. During his visit to Japan, the interim chief announced that the next national elections will be held between December this year and June 2026. Yunus' remarks come at the same time the Bangladesh Nationalist Party held a massive rally in Dhaka calling for a "restoration of political rights of youth" While addressing a public gathering in Tokyo, the Bangladeshi leader acknowledged the call for elections and stated that they could be held as early as December 2025. 'When elections take place an elected government takes over responsibility, and we hand it over to them. People are insisting to tell them when the elections will be because the politicians are very impatient to get to their seats of power. So I have been promising them for some time. It could be in December this year or at the latest June of 2026, so six months gap, depending on how fast we can do the reforms,' Yunus was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune. "If the reforms are slow and accomplish little then we have a longer time. And the longer time cannot continue endlessly. Must finish it up by June 2026," he added. In the background of Yunus' visit to Japan, BNP held a rally and called for an early election in Bangladesh. Adding pressure on the interim government, the political party stated that the date for the next elections is yet to be announced. "Excuses are already being made regarding the national elections. Even after 10 months, the interim government has not announced the election date,' said Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the BNP in a video message. Rahman added that in the past, elections have been held within three months of a caretaker government. However, following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, Yunus-led government is yet to decide on elections. "The national election must be held by December. Preparations must begin immediately," Rahman added further as he joined the rally through a virtual platform from London.
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Why Yunus' election-by-June plan is raising suspicion and fears
Under immense pressure to hold elections by December, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has repeatedly reiterated that it plans to hold the national polls by June 2026. But the June timeline has few takers in Bangladesh. Citing the calendar of events and occurrences, they argue the election will have to be conducted in December or will get pushed to the winter of 2026. And there is a reason why Bangladesh's main political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), smells a rat in Yunus' June poll vow, and views it as a ploy to delay polls the BNP, poised to capitalise on Sheikh Hasina's ouster, insists on elections by December 2025, aligning with Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman's stern directive on the same, ousted Hasina's former ally, the Jatiya Party has demanded a clear electoral road BNP, which has threatened to launch a nationwide agitation demanding elections by December, fears that Yunus' extended timeline could be a tactic to manipulate outcomes or suppress public momentum. It argues that the first half of 2026 is packed with public exams, Ramzan, Eid, Kalboishakhi storms, monsoon disruptions, and Bakrid, all of which could complicate logistics and fuel concerns that delays may derail the democratic transition, which even to neutral observers looks SMELLS THE RAT IN YUNUS' JUNE 2026 POLL DIKTATFollowing marathon meetings with Chief Adviser Yunus over the weekend to resolve the deadlock over the election road map, the BNP delivered its official response at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, saying it was disappointed and confused about why the interim head is hell-bent on holding the polls during harsh have said before that December is the right time for elections, and we stand by that. After December, Ramadan will fall in February, followed by the monsoon season. There are also major public examinations like the SSC and HSC. That's why we believe any time after December would not be suitable for holding elections," senor BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was quoted as saying by the Dhaka-based Prothom according to the report, pointed out that, apart from the June 1996 election which was held under exceptional circumstances, all other national elections in Bangladesh have traditionally taken place in December or Bangladesh, pre-monsoon Kalbaishakhi storms occur between March and April, followed by the monsoon season from May or June to September. During this time, cyclones often hit the country, disrupting life across vast swathes, from coastal belts to inland towns, damaging infrastructure and displacing a month of fasting and spiritual focus, also makes it logistically unfeasible to hold elections due to reduced working hours and limited public engagement. Additionally, during the public exam period (typically February to April), most school and college teachers are tied up with invigilation and evaluation duties, and result processing for several months, making them largely unavailable for crucial election had hoped for a positive response from the government on the election issue, but that didn't happen. The statement conveyed by the press secretary about the chief advisor's talks with political parties reflects the absence of a clear road map for the national elections," added Dhaka-based Daily Star quoted Hossain demanding a clear road map and the removal of "controversial advisers" from Yunus' cabinet, signalling distrust in the interim government's ALLY JATIYA PARTY WANTS CLEAR POLL ROAD MAPThe Jatiya Party, which was previously an ally of Hasina's Awami League and faced attacks following the regime's fall in August 2025, is also demanding a clear electoral Jatiya Party leader Masroor Mawla, while calling for free, fair, and inclusive elections on a level playing field, said that until the election schedule is announced, the country will not attract any new investments, reported news agency ANI in March."Unless the election is declared, no new investment will come in Bangladesh... Whenever we talk to the international community, they only talk about elections. They want to hear an election roadmap for Bangladesh. Unless the election is declared, no new investment is coming. The old investors, I mean the investors who have already invested huge amounts of money in Bangladesh, also feel insecure," Mawla was quoted as saying by the news the Yunus government, Mawla said, "For the past six or seven months, this interim government has been running the country, but we have seen no development, only a rising rate of everyday crimes. The economy has completely deteriorated as no new investors are coming to Bangladesh at the moment".ARMY CHIEF ZAMAN HAD WARNED YUNUS TO CONDUCT POLLS BY DECEMBER 2025Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had last week issued a stern warning to Yunus to ensure polls by December. He said, "the right to shape the nation's future belongs to an elected government".Muhammad Yunus, appointed interim chief adviser after a student-led uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, has repeatedly said that elections would be in June this timeline has drawn sharp criticism, more so after it warned of "public-backed action" against "unreasonable demands".Tune InMust Watch
