Bangladesh interim chief Muhammad Yunus mulls resignation: report

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus is reportedly considering resignation due to difficulties in governance, as political parties struggle to reach a consensus on implementing change in the country, according to a media report.

Student-led National Citizen Party chief Nhid Islam, quoted by BBC Bangla Service, stated that Yunus is apprehensive about the evolving political situation and his ability to continue his work.

Additionally, reports indicate tensions between the military and the interim government regarding the timeline for parliamentary elections.

Though Islam said Yunus is considering resigning from the post of Chief Advisor, there was no official statement or clarity from his office on the report.

“Sir said, 'If I can't work… I was brought here after a mass uprising to bring change and reform to the country. But in the current situation, with mounting pressure from movements and the way I'm being cornered, this isn't how I can work. The political parties—you've all failed to reach common ground',” Islam told the BBC.

Islam, who was one of the key coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination which led the July uprising last year that forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, said he told Yunus “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," he said.

Yunus’s government has encountered multiple challenges over the past two days, with escalating tensions within the interim Cabinet.

On May 12, the interim government officially disbanded Hasina’s Awami League under an overnight revised anti-terrorism law, following a ban on its “activities” under the previous version of the law two days earlier.

Meanwhile, political parties continue to press Yunus to announce a date for the next elections.

(inputs from PTI)