It appeared to be a regular closed-door meeting between Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and the three country’s top military leaders to discuss law and order.
But the May 20 meeting came amid what multiple officials familiar with the internal workings of the government described to Al Jazeera as an intensifying power struggle in Dhaka. Nine months after Yunus took over after the ousting of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the ruling Awami League, tensions that were depicted in Bangladesh’s social and mainstream media as a “cold war” between the armed forces and the interim administration are now threatening Yunus’s position.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 amid a mass uprising against her 15-year-long rule, during which she was accused of orchestrating extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
What the most recent tumult in Bangladesh means for its aspiring efforts to return to electoral democracy are unpackaged.
Why are the military and the government at odds with one another?
The Bangladesh Army has remained deployed since July 2024, following the mass protests that led to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. During the upheaval, including a nationwide police strike that left many stations abandoned and public order in disarray, they needed to maintain their presence.
Although the police resumed operations in mid-August, the army’s presence has been maintained as part of a civil-military consensus, because of unrest in the country.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the army’s chief, publicly demanded on Wednesday that national elections be held by December of this year, warning that a protracted army deployment could compromise the nation’s defenses.
According to a report by The Daily Star, General Waker told a high-level gathering at Dhaka Cantonment, “Bangladesh needs political stability. Unelected decision-makers alone, not an elected government, make this possible. The comments came during a rare address in which he delivered a 30-minute speech, followed by more than an hour of questions and answers. In full combat uniform, Bangladeshi UN mission officers from across the nation and at the event reportedly attended in a show of unity and resolve, both physically and practically.
“The army is meant for defending the nation, not for policing … We must return to barracks after elections”, Waker was quoted in The Daily Star as saying.
His remarks point to a divergence of opinion regarding the Yunus administration’s stated desire to hold elections no later than mid-2020, allowing for political and electoral reforms first, in order to ensure a fair election.
According to local media reports, Waker is also strongly opposed to key initiatives being considered by the interim government. He reportedly said: “There will be no corridor. There will be no corridor.” The sovereignty of Bangladesh is not negotiable”. He warned that a dangerous proxy conflict might arise for Bangladesh under any such action. “Only a political government elected by the people can make such decisions”, he said, according to the paper.
The army chief also expressed concern about making other decisions without a mandate, including the possible foreign management of Chattogram Port, Bangladesh’s main seaport, and Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service launch, which he claimed could compromise national security. “The army will not allow anyone to compromise our sovereignty”, The Daily Star quoted him as saying.
His remarks came as rumors that the Yunus administration tried to remove General Waker from his position last week are still unresolved by either the military or the government. Though unconfirmed, the rumour has dominated public discourse and prompted questions about civil-military relations during the transitional period.
Therefore, General Waker’s assertive public statement and its emphasis on the constitution and national sovereignty are widely accepted as a sign of growing unease with the military over the interim government’s expanding civilian initiatives.
Are there also political party tensions?
Yes. The interim government has been subject to increasing pressure from various sides since it was founded on August 8, 2013. While the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) insists that national elections must be held by December, the National Citizen Party (NCP) – a student-led party formed earlier this year – and several other political groups argue that sweeping reforms and the prosecution of former Awami League (AL) leaders for killings resulting from the brutal crackdown on student-led protests last year must precede any election.
The BNP, Bangladesh’s largest political party, has launched a string of protests over demands for mayorship, including that its candidate, who allegedly lost an allegedly rigged mayoral election in Dhaka on February 1, 2020, be reinstated as mayor, has also been protesting.
On Thursday, the BNP held a news conference demanding an election by the end of the year, as well as the resignation of two student advisers and the national security adviser. Without these actions, the party warned that Yunus’s government’s continued cooperation would become untenable.
On Saturday, Yunus is expected to meet with both the BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI), the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh.
Yunus may decide to step down.
Amid this growing turbulence, speculation has intensified that Yunus may be preparing to resign. Following widespread social media chatter, he announced at a cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon that he would step down and make a televised statement address the nation.
That evening, Nahid Islam – a student leader from the July uprising against the previous government and now head of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) – met Yunus along with two student advisers to make an appeal for him to stay on.
Nahid confirmed to BBC Bangla that Yunus was seriously considering leaving after the meeting.
By Friday evening (13: 00 GMT), sources within the interim administration told Al Jazeera that Yunus was still weighing his options.
However, according to two government sources, Yunus is likely to convene an urgent cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss the upcoming course of action. One of the sources confirmed that Yunus’s resignation remains a possibility.
What might cause Yunus to want to leave?
Yunus is contemplating resigning because of intensifying political pressure, according to local media reports.
Since Hasina’s government was overthrown last year, Yunus told cabinet members on Thursday, according to two advisers who were quoted in the Samakal newspaper, that the political parties and other government organizations have broken their commitments to working with the transitional government to achieve state reforms and a peaceful democratic transition.
It had become impossible to carry out his responsibilities, he was reported as saying. Election-related pressure is also rising. “The prospect of a fair election in the current situation is slim”, he said. He didn’t want to have to accept accountability for any election that had been rigged or interfered with.
Later on Thursday evening, Yunus met Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam, Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and NCP convenor Nahid Islam at his official residence, the Jamuna State Guest House in Dhaka.
Nahid later confirmed that Yunus was considering leaving and that he had been reportedly held hostage by protests and political unrest.
“I cannot work like this if you, all the political parties, cannot reach a common ground”, Nahid quoted Yunus as saying. He urged the interim leader to “main strong,” underscoring the public’s confidence in him following the Awami League government’s ouster in July.
Meanwhile, Yunus’s ambitious reform agenda is reportedly faltering, with analysts noting that key arms of the state – including the police and civil bureaucracy – are increasingly slipping beyond the interim government’s control.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR), the nation’s body for tax administration that controls the collection of income tax, value-added tax (VAT), and customs duties, is one of the most perceptive proposals, according to the government, whose aim is to improve efficiency and integrity of Bangladesh’s tax system. This has been met with strong resistance from senior officials of the NBR over fears that experienced revenue officers will be sidelined.
What is the BNP’s goal?
Speaking to Al Jazeera, BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said his party does not want Yunus to resign. He stated, “Nobody requested his resignation, and we do not want him to do so.”
“The people are waiting to cast their vote and bring back democracy. They have been denied this for nearly 20 years, Khasru said. “We expect him to go for a free and fair election and peacefully hand over power. He entered in that manner.
He questioned the delay in setting an election timeline. What’s the wait, exactly? This is something]about which] a very strong conversation is going on in the country”.
Khasru claimed that the BNP wants the government to transition into caretaker mode, with some contentious figures being removed, particularly those with political affiliations or ambitions. “They have already floated a political party”, he said, referring to the student representatives. “Some people made statements that were partisan.” These should go if you’re serious about a credible election”.
He argued that reforms and elections could go both ways simultaneously, avoiding any contradictions. “Where there is consensus, reforms can be completed within weeks”.
Khasru also praised the army’s ability to guarantee fair elections and the Election Commission. “This is not the era of Sheikh Hasina”, he remarked, suggesting a more conducive political environment for elections.
He argued that judicial proceedings could continue concurrently in the case of former Awami League leaders. “The judiciary must do its job – the elected government will continue if more is needed”.
He continued, “BNP suffered the most under the previous regime.” “The trials are a national consensus”.
In a TV interview on Friday, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, “The state will find an alternative if Yunus is personally unable to carry out his duties.” But he added: “As a globally respected figure, we hope he will understand the situation and announce an election roadmap by December”.
What are the demands of the various political parties?
NCP’s Senior Joint Convenor Ariful Islam Adeeb rejected the BNP’s narrative, telling Al Jazeera: “All parties were meant to support the interim government after the July uprising, but the BNP stuck to old tactics based on muscle power – that’s the root of the crisis”.
He urged party unity, citing the need for “BNP and all other parties to work together for the national interest.”
Meanwhile, demonstrations and behind-the-scenes meetings continued across Dhaka. Top political party leaders, including the NCP, gathered for an emergency meeting on Thursday evening at the IAB’s headquarters, including its president Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim.
They urged all “anti-fascist forces” to unite, defend national sovereignty, and support a credible election under Yunus after key reforms. In order to stop the continuation of previous authoritarian practices, several of these parties, including BJI, argue that elections must take place following significant reforms, such as the introduction of a proportional voting system and ensuring accountability for past abuses. They believe holding elections without these changes would undermine public trust and risk another crisis.
Shafiqur Rahman, the BJI chief, endorsed the resolution at the IAB meeting by phone. On Thursday, he urged Yunus to convene an all-party dialogue to resolve the crisis.
Then, on Friday night, BJI’s Shafiqur Rahman requested a meeting with Yunus, and he suggested meeting on Saturday at 12:00 GMT (6pm local time) instead.
Speaking to Al Jazeera on Friday night, NCP Joint Convenor Sarwar Tushar said: “Whatever the rumours, we believe Dr Muhammad Yunus is committed to his historic responsibility.
There is a lot of expectation, he added, both from the people and the international community.
While acknowledging political divisions, Tushar said:” If everyone moves beyond party agendas and focuses on a national agenda, the crisis can be resolved through dialogue. “
What lies ahead for us?
Political analyst Rezaul Karim Rony told Al Jazeera that talk of Yunus’s resignation may reflect growing frustration over the lack of unity within the transitional setup”. He said that the vested interests that had characterized the post-uprising interim government appear to be waning. The resignation talk might be a signal underscoring the need to rebuild that unity. “
Rony speculated that political parties may have been alienated by particular government appointments, raising doubts about whether some actors have agendas that go beyond the mandate of the government. This could be one reason why the government is struggling to gain broad political cooperation and function effectively, “he noted.
Rony continued, “At this point, promoting elections may]give the impression that the administration is politically in tune with the BNP.” But in the end, it should be up to the people to decide who they want to lead. “
Nahid Islam, the NCP, is of the opinion that something is different.
He warned in a Facebook post on Friday night:” There’s a conspiracy to sabotage the democratic transition and stage another 1/11-style arrangement. “
The term “1/11” refers to the day on January 11, 2007, when the military-backed caretaker government seized control of Bangladesh after two years of political unrest and suspension of democratic processes.
” Bangladesh has repeatedly been divided, national unity destroyed, to keep the country weak, “Nahid wrote.
He urged Yunus to carry out his pledges of reform, justice, and voting rights, saying that Dr. Yunus must address all political crises while in office.
He also outlined NCP’s demands: a timely July declaration, elections within the announced timeframe (Yunus has repeatedly promised that the election will be held between December 2025 to July 2026), a July Charter with core reforms before polls, visible justice for the July killings, and a roadmap for a new constitution through simultaneous elections to a Constituent Assembly and legislature.
Public concern is growing in the meantime. On Friday, the Bangladesh Army issued a Facebook alert debunking a fake media release circulated a day earlier, which falsely used the military’s logo in what it described as” an apparent attempt to sow confusion and create rifts “between the armed forces and the public”. Do not believe rumors. Do not be misled, “the statement warned.
All eyes are on Muhammad Yunus as the weekend draws near, and he needs to decide whether to step down, remain firm, or find a new leader to navigate the nation’s second transition since a dramatic uprising last year.
Source: Aljazeera
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