It’s Yunus vs Bangladesh Army chief over delayed elections as Dhaka stares at political crisis: Report

Bangladesh’s interim ruler, Muhammad Yunus, and Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman appear to be at odds.

While Zaman is pushing for elections at the earliest so that Bangladesh could have an elected government, Yunus appears to be delaying the exercise and putting his weight behind Zaman’s rivals who are friendly with foreign powers, according to CNN-News 18.

After weekslong street violence forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country for her life in August 2024, the Bangladeshi Army and agitating groups propped the unelected administration of Yunus to see through the governance until elections would be held.

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While unelected with no democratic mandate, Yunus has gone about making significant chances to Bangladeshi polity. He has presided over the systemic removal of Bangladesh's founder Shekh Mujibur Rahman from the national conscience and the crackdown of Hasina’s party Bangladesh Awami League (BAL).

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One reason for the tussle between Yunus and Zaman is also believed to be their opposite inclinations. While Zaman is usually seen as a pro-India figure with little sympathy for Islamists, Yunus and his administration are pro-Pakistan whose primary audiences are hardliner Islamists in Bangladesh and abroad.

Army chief wants elections at the earliest, concerned about foreign influence

Zaman wants elections at the earliest as foreign influence and interference in the country’s affairs has risen to an unacceptable level under Yunus, according to CNN-News 18.

The report further said that Zaman has called for an urgent meeting to explore the “plan of action”.

Army sources told CNN-News 18, “The Army chief wants Yunus to declare elections as soon as possible. His biggest worry is instability due to foreign interference, which may be a possibility because of Yunus who is perceived as a puppet of foreign agencies."

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Sources further said that the “Army’s biggest worry is Yunus’ release of prisoners through executive orders".

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Earlier, sources close to the Army chief had told CNN-News18 that the Bangladesh Army was on-board with Zaman.

Yunus has released several Islamist leaders from jail, such as Jashimuddin Rahmani Hafi , the chief of terrorist group Al Qaeda’s affiliate Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). As a result, Islamist extremists have taken the centre-stage in Bangladesh since Yunus’ appointment.

While Yunus has released terrorists from jail, he has banned Hasina’s BAL and all of its affiliates.

Yunus putting weight behind Army chief’s rival

As Zaman is seen as a pro-India figure, Yunus is putting weight behind a rival general who is believed to share his own pro-Pakistan nature, according to CNN-News 18.

Lieutenant General Faizur Rahman, the Quarter-Master General of Bangladeshi Army, has held a closed-door meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Khalilur Rahman, a confidant of Yunus. CNN-News 18 reported sources as saying that the attempt of the NSA would be to remove Zaman as Army chief.

However, sources said that most of the commanders are on board with Zaman and a successful coup is unlikely.

Separately, Pakistani intelligence tsar Lt Gen Asim Malik has also met Rahman, which suggested that Pakistan had overtly joined hands with the anti-Zaman faction of the Army.

Earlier, CNN-News 18 had reported that Bangladeshi Army was divided into pro-Pakistan and pro-Awami League factions and that the pro-Pakistan faction of Rahman —supported by Yunus and NSA— considered a coup but most of the generals and officers refused to align with them. However, the report quoted sources as saying that Rahman’s pro-Pakistan stand continued to cause friction in the Army.