New Delhi, May 26: Bangladesh’s political unrest is fueled by the lack of a clear roadmap for reforms and holding elections, as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has held meetings with leaders of various political parties. Yunus has met with representatives from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), and National Citizens Party (NCP) in two phases, discussing key issues such as when to hold elections and growing tensions with political parties.
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman highlighted that domestic and foreign investment has become stagnant due to the absence of a stable democratic government in the country. He expects a free and fair national election by December this year. Another BNP leader warned Yunus on delaying General Elections from December 2025 to June 2026.
Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman stated last week that the country needs political stability, which is only possible through an elected government and not by unelected decision-makers. Zaman also shut down the Yunus government’s proposed ‘Humanitarian Corridor’ to Myanmar’s Rakhine State, stating that national interest must come first in any action.
Events over the last few months have created a sense of unease in the country over the ongoing uncertain political and economic situation. People have taken to the streets, holding large protest rallies almost everyday, but the Yunus-led government is in no mood to listen to their demands at the moment. The interim government created a deadlock in revenue collection by imposing reforms on the National Board of Revenue (NBR) ahead of passing the national budget.
Experts believe that Yunus has failed to understand that Bangladesh is fast losing investors and the continued uncertainty will erode the very foundations that made the country attractive for global businesses. The policy paralysis to resolve the difficult equation is not just in economics but also in soft infrastructure, thus increasingly jeopardizing investor faith.
Violent protests have become a daily affair in Bangladesh, while radical Islamist parties continue to take aggressive actions against minority communities, especially Hindus. The riotous street mobs of political activists mixed with radical Islamists have also begun attacking Army personnel and rendered the police largely ineffective in Bangladesh.
The ongoing radicalisation of Bangladesh, which also directly threatens India’s northeastern states, is influenced by Pakistan’s ISI fingerprints. (IANS)
