Dhaka: Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, convened an unscheduled meeting of his advisory council on Saturday as the nation grapples with growing political unrest. According to local media cited by PTI, the meeting was called abruptly, ahead of Yunus’s separate talks with leaders of major opposition parties.
The meeting of the advisory council—comprising officials equivalent to ministers—was expected to take place soon after the routine Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting concluded. The United News of Bangladesh (UNB), quoting an anonymous official, did not disclose specific details about the agenda.
Talks with opposition leaders
Later in the day, Yunus was slated to hold discussions with representatives of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, two of the country’s most prominent political parties. His press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, confirmed the scheduled meetings to AFP, stating, “He is meeting BNP and Jamaat leaders this evening.”
BNP spokesperson Shairul Kabir Khan also acknowledged the meeting and said senior party leaders would be in attendance. Jamaat’s spokesperson Ataur Rahman Sarkar confirmed their participation as well. The sudden wave of meetings follows reports that Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had recently threatened to step down if political factions failed to cooperate with his transitional administration.
Rift over election timeline
Yunus took over as interim chief following a mass uprising last year and has pledged to hold national elections by June 2026. However, tensions have escalated with the BNP demanding a firm date, sparking mass demonstrations in Dhaka earlier this week. Compounding the crisis is a rift between Yunus and the military. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has publicly pushed for elections to be held by December, contrary to Yunus’s timeline.
Despite speculation about a resignation, Yunus’s aides have stressed his commitment to overseeing a smooth democratic transition. “Professor Yunus must stay in office for the sake of peace and democracy,” Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, a cabinet member and Yunus’s special assistant, wrote on Facebook. “He does not seek power for himself.”
