Yunus mulling resignation as Bangladesh CA, confirms Nahid Islam amid tension with Army chief

Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is mulling resignation as he finds it difficult to get the support of political parties to reach a common ground, Nahid Islam, leader of the National Citizen Party, has said.

Talking to BBC Bangla, Islam said, “We have been hearing news of sir’s (Yunus) resignation since this morning. So I went to meet sir to discuss that issue . . . He said he is thinking about it. He feels that the situation is such that he cannot work.”

A source told AFP that Yunus has informed his Cabinet that he will quit if political parties do not give him their full support. His threat to stand down comes a day after thousands of supporters of the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rallied in Dhaka, holding large-scale protests against the interim government for the first time.

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Interim govt’s showdown with army

Tensions within the interim government and Bangladesh’s army have been rift, with many blaming Yunus for not putting in enough effort to make the country’s better after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year.

According to a report by News18, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has criticised the interim government for excluding the military from important decision-making processes, claiming that many actions are being taken without adequate consultation.

He also emphasised the urgent need for inclusive elections, questioning the legitimacy of an unelected interim government in engaging with influential external actors and making significant decisions without a public mandate.

Differences over polls

Meanwhile, Yunus has promised polls will be held by June 2026 at the latest, but supporters of the BNP – seen as the frontrunners in highly anticipated elections that will be the first since Hasina was overthrown – demanded he fix a date.

“If the government fails to meet public expectations, it will be difficult for the BNP to continue extending its support,” senior BNP leader Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain told reporters Thursday.

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“The highest priority should be placed on announcing a clear roadmap for the election”.

Zaman is pushing for an earlier election, saying that Bangladesh is “passing through a chaotic phase” and that “the situation is getting worse day by day.”