The ‘chief advisor’ to the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, has finally run his course. In a last-ditch effort to save his throne, the controversial US asset is resorting to blame game, creating mass hysteria and even threatening resignation.
After a drama that unfolded on Thursday (22nd May) about the possibility of Yunus’ resignation, the nation’s focus shifted swiftly from the growing discontenment and facade of unelected, ‘democratic’ governance.
Student activists attempted to woo him at his residence, others demanded his elevation to the post of President. Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party claimed it never asked Yunus to vacate his position.
To top it all, prominent Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Star’ made a heartfelt appeal to the ‘chief advisor’ against considering resignation. Of course, Muhammad Yunus ‘relented‘ and decided against ‘abandoning’ his responsibilities.
“We’re not going anywhere until our job is done. The chief adviser will be with us. He has not said he will resign. The other advisers are also staying. We have been given responsibilities, and we are here to fulfill them,” information adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud clarified.
Yunus banks on anti-India rhetoric yet again
On Sunday (25th May), Muhammad Yunus attempted to whip up anti-India sentiments in the country so as to distract the public from his incompetency and failure to restore democracy and electoral reforms in Bangladesh.
Through one of his stooges, Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Nagorik Oikya party President), Yunus sent out a message that Bangladesh was faced with a ‘major crisis due to Indian hegemony’.
“The chief adviser stated that the country is in a major crisis due to Indian hegemony. He believes that the entire nation needs to remain united in response. He (Yunus) started the discussion by saying that we are in a deep crisis. By crisis, he meant the conspiracy of Indian hegemony,” Manna remarked.
He quoted Muhammad Yunus as saying, “Indian hegemony does not want to accept this change in our country at all. If they could, they would destroy us in a single day, and they are doing everything necessary to that end. That’s what he said.”
OpIndia had previously explained the rationale behind the continued hostility and war-of-words against India.
Given that India is a perceived as a ‘Hindu nation’ by Bangladeshi Muslims, Yunus set out to antagonise the neighbouring country as well and capitalise on his growing anti-Indian sentiment in the country.
He first attempted to ban the export of Hilsa fish to India but it was in vain. He then strategically downplayed the crucial role played by India in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War by distorting textbooks.
Yunus remained tight-lipped when officials, appointed by him, issued threats to India. In October 2024, Law adviser Asif Nazrul in Bangladesh’s interim government warned that if India tried to refuse the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, the country would launch a “strong protest.”
Sarjis Alam, a so-called ‘student activist’, issued veiled threats to Indian Prime Minsiter Modi. And yet again, Yunus maintained strategic silence. His own ‘adviser’ Mahfuz Alam threatened to annex parts of India.
Former Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman, had also threatened to occupy the 7 States of North-East India in case of war with Pakistan. He is a close aide of Muhammad Yunus.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commander Lt. Col Golam Kibria also issued threats to India’s Border Security Force (BSF). The interim government maintained stoic silence yet again.
Yunus went on a trip to China and urged the expansonist nation to use the 7 sisters of India as an extension of its economy.
Muhammad Yunus claims ‘war-like situation’ in Bangladesh
Besides anti-India rhetoric, threats of resignation amid protests by National Citizen Party (formed by students) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Muhammad Yunus has resorted to creating mass hysteria among the public.
He had alleged that Bangladesh had been in a state of war ever since he gutted democracy by banning Awami League, the prominent political party of the country once headed by now-ousted Sheikh Hasina, in May 2025.
“A war-like situation emerged both inside and outside the country, preventing us from moving forward, causing everything to collapse, and pushing us back into subservience,” the Press Secretary of Muhammad Yunus quoted as saying.
The excuse of ‘war-like situation’ is now used by the controversial US asset, who came to power in Bangladesh through a well co-ordinated regime change operation, to hold his position as the de-facto leader of the country.
Yunus met representatives from all other political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, and go all onboard to support his unelected regime for the time being amid this ‘war-like situation.’
The ‘chief advisor’ to the interim government, who was previously rattled by growing discontenment from all sections of the society, has finally found some respite.
“Since the Awami League’s activities were banned [on May 12], there have been relentless efforts to destabilise the situation. We must protect ourselves from this,” Yunus said.
Mujahidul Islam Selim, the ex-president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, even remarked, “The election can take place after making the necessary reforms and the interim government can leave fundamental issues to the people. Unnecessary delays can further worsen the already unstable situation.”
With renewed promises of systemic reforms, putting Awami League leaders on trial for alleged ‘crimes’ and conducting a nationwide free and fair election, Yunus has been able to buy himself some additional time.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Army Chief General, Waker-Uz-Zaman, had directed Muhammad Yunus to hold elections by December 2025 under any circumstances.
But the shrewd, cunning ‘chief advisor’ has been able to circumvent the threat of Army by getting all political parties on board (atleast for the time being).
Muhammad Yunus tired to appease Islamic extremists
Bangladesh witnessed a drastic rise in Islamism after Yunus came to power. He first revoked the ban on the radical Islamist outfit ‘Jamaat-e-Islami.’
Thereafter, he released the leader of the radical outfit ‘Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)’ Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani.
At the same time, Muhammad Yunus downplayed the targeted attacks on the Hindu community by violent Muslim mobs. He has gone on record from lamenting about attacks on Hindus to saying that the claims of atrocities are ‘exaggerated‘.
In that way, the controversial US asset was able to placate Islamic extremists. Given that Awami Legaue was against Islamism, the interim government first banned its student wing ‘Chhatra League,’ and then the parent party.
Under the watch of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh saw a drastic rise in vigilante Muslim mobs, which unleashed violence under the pretext of protecting the tenets of Islam.
These mobs were largely unorganised and called themselves ‘Tawhidi Janata (meaning Revolutionary People).’ They came under the spotlight over acts of vandalism and harassment of people.
The Yunus regime introduced new textbooks for primary and secondary students, which falsely claimed that the first declaration of independence of Bangladesh was made by Ziaur Rehman (a favourite icon of Muslim hardliners in Bangladesh).
The interim government also appointed a Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist named Mohammad Azaz as the administrator for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The situation had become so grim that Bangladeshi ambassador to Morocco Mohammad Harun Al Rashid was forced to slam the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in a scathing Facebook post in March this year.
