Was Muhammad Yunus the wrong choice to bring stability to Bangladesh?

Was Muhammad Yunus the wrong choice to lead Bangladesh?

Yunus was appointed as the head of the interim government in August after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India following widespread protests against her government.

The 84-year-old economist-turned-politician and Nobel Laureate took control at a precarious time and was expected to be a calming influence.

That hasn’t happened.

Let’s take a closer look at why Yunus was the wrong choice to bring stability to Bangladesh.

Violence against minorities on rise

According to News18, since Tuesday night, minorities, particularly Hindus, have been targeted across Bangladesh.

Mobs have attacked houses and minorities targeted with impunity as the local government sits idly by.

Attacks on minorities and temples have occurred in Gopalganj, Maulvibazar, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Khulna, and Khagrachhari – areas which have some of the highest population of Hindus.

According to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), there have been over 200 reported incidents of violence against Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community since 5 August.

Religious sites, particularly temples, have been frequent targets of these attacks.

The arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges has intensified the unrest.

Das, who was arrested earlier this week, was denied bail by a Bangladeshi court.

This decision has led to demonstrations in cities such as Dhaka and Chattogram, where protesters demanded his immediate release and protection for minority communities.

According to Al Jazeera, India has expressed “deep concern” over the development.

New Delhi said this comes after “extremist elements in Bangladesh” attacked Hindus and places of worship and pointed out that those assailants remain scot-free even as the authorities prosecute  “a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings.”

“We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities’ homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples."

“It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das," the MEA said.

The worst may be yet to come

News18 quoted Indian intelligence agencies as saying that not only are minorities unsafe on the streets, they may even be targeted in jail.

Sources said that the cadres of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh are behind the attacks.

“In two separate incidents in August, around 700 inmates managed to escape from jail. Many of them were JMB sympathisers or leaders. After the exit of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh, these cadres and other outfits started targeting Hindus and other minorities. It is likely that minorities, especially Hindus, could also be targeted in jails, in addition to the streets," a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told News18.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has called on Bangladeshi authorities to take decisive steps to ensure the safety and security of minorities.

Bangladesh has claimed that the danger to Hindus is being overstated and that it is working on solving the problem.

Radical voices unabated

Yunus is seemingly surrounding himself with radical voices.

News18 reported that Yunus, looking to protect his political and economic interests, has kept Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami members within his inner circle.

“His continued association with Jamaat stems from their significant influence in Bangladesh," said a source. “The Jamaat believes that only ISKCON can shift the current political momentum."

Sources said Younis is under pressure to do so to keep the Grameen Bank and its operations in rural Bangladesh functioning properly.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s strong presence in many rural areas may have led Yunus to believe that cooperation with it is essential to avoiding a backlash, sources added.

No clarity on polls

Yunus has said he would hold polls passing after ‘essential reforms,’ as per The Times of India.

“Some reforms can be made during the preparations for the elections, and for this reason, the polls may be delayed by a few months,” Yunus said.

He added that the ‘election train had left the station.’

But according to the Bangladesh Constitution, a fresh general election to elect the new government should have been held within 90 days after Parliament was dissolved. But this hasn’t happened.

Worse, Yunus has provided no concrete timeline for polls to be held.

“I promise that we will hold the much-anticipated election once the necessary and essential reforms are complete,” Yunus, addressing the nation 100 days after taking office, said.

“Within a few days, the Election Commission will be formed, after which the responsibility for organising the elections will rest with them,” Yunus added.

“You will soon receive a detailed roadmap for the polls,” Yunus promised.

“Until then, I request your patience,” he said. “We aim to establish an electoral system that can be a model for generations to come. This will safeguard our nation from the recurring annual political crises. For this, I am asking for the necessary time from you.”

However, Yunus sang a different song in an interview with Al Jazeera.

While the exact timeframe for the interim government’s tenure has not been determined, it should be under four years that’s for sure, it may be less,” Yunus said.

Student protests flare up

Student protests have flared up yet again after the death of a student from Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College (DMRC).

According to the Dhaka Tribune students from 37 educational institutions have joined in the protests.

DMRC students claim that a college student Abhijit Hawladardied due to medical negligence at the DNMC last week.

They also accused the hospital of trying to cover up the incident and claimed that they offered his family money.

DMRC students went on the rampage at the hospital on Sunday.

They were joined by students from 34 other colleges including Ideal College, Dhaka City College, Donia College, Adamjee Cantonment College, Giasuddin Islamic Model College, Govt Tolaram College, Dhaka Imperial College, Shaikh Burhanuddin Post Graduate College, Government Science College, Lalbagh Govt Model School and College, Notre Dame College, Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Siddheswari College, and Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah Institute of Science & Technology. Most of the participants were higher secondary students.

Kabi Nazrul Government College and Government Shahid Suhrawardy College in Old Dhaka, where first-year undergraduate final exams were ongoing, also came under assualt.

Over 100 examinees from both colleges were injured by brick chips and stones, the newspaper reported.

Press freedom under threat

The Daily Star, a prominent daily, has also slammed the Yunus government for not protecting the freedom of the press.

“Threats to the media appear to be intensifying in the current political climate, with coordinated campaigns aiming to stoke hostility against media houses that have long stood as pillars of independent journalism. This raises troubling questions about the future of the press in Bangladesh," it wrote.

The newspaper said a mob attacked the head office o_f Prothom Alo_ and The Daily Star.

With inputs from agencies