Several political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have been demanding parliamentary elections by December. However, the NCP wants fundamental reforms before the elections.
Bangladesh’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus is mulling resignation as he is finding it difficult to work in view of political parties failing to reach a common ground to bring a change in the country, according to a media report.
Student-led National Citizen Party chief Nhid Islam was quoted by BBC Bangla Service saying that Yunus is apprehensive over the evolving political situation in the country and whether he will be able to carry on with his work.
The development comes as there have been reports of some discord between the military and the interim government over the possible timeline for holding the 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.
Protest planned by student leaders in Dhaka
In the meantime, various student leaders are rallying youths and Islamists to protest in Dhaka and march to the Army Cantonment after the Friday prayers.
The media speculation around Yunus’ resignation is being seen as a ploy to launch an agitation against the Army chief who wants elections to be held. If elections, whenever held, will end Yunus’ term as the de facto prime minister of Bangladesh.
New challenges for Muhhamad Yunus in Bangladesh
Yunus’s government in the past two days faced several challenges, including intensifying tensions within the interim Cabinet. The interim government on May 12 officially disbanded Hasina’s Awami League under an overnight revised anti-terrorism law, two days after it slapped a ban on its “activities” under the previous version of the law. Yunus has been facing calls from the political parties to announce a date for the next elections.
Will general elections be held soon?
Amid these developments, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has expressed his desire to hold elections by December this year, local media reported.
“Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman believes that national elections should be held by December. Regarding the elections, he said that his position on the matter is the same as before. An elected government has the right to determine the future course of the country”, the daily Prothom Alo reported.
The Army Chief mentioned some other issues in his officers’ address at the army premises of Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday. Officers of various levels of the army stationed in Dhaka participated in it, and many other officers joined virtually, the report said.
BNP also demands elections soon
Several political parties, including Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been demanding parliamentary elections by December. However, the National Citizens Party (NCP), a new party led by students who led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, wants fundamental reforms before the elections.