After longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from office last year, Muhammad Yunus, the country’s interim leader, said he was “dazzled” when asked to assume leadership.
“I had no idea I’d be leading the government,” Yunus wrote. “I had never run a government machine before and had to get the buttons right.”
He and his team started setting up the nation’s administration after he became comfortable in his new position. “Restoring law and order and fixing the economy were our top priorities,” the Nobel Prize-winning economist stated. An important turning point in Bangladesh’s change will be the forthcoming elections.
Yunus has made it clear that he intends to restore democracy and that his position as leader is only temporary. “I did not come here to stay in power,” he added. “My role is to ensure that the people of Bangladesh can choose their next leader in a free and fair manner.”
Is Sheikh Hasina's Party Going to Run for Office?
It is uncertain whether Hasina, who escaped into exile in India, and her party, the Awami League, would participate in Bangladesh elections that Yunus expects to hold later this year. Bangladesh is seeking Hasina on suspicion of crimes against humanity.
“The Awami League must determine whether or not they wish to proceed. “I can’t make that decision for them,” Yunus remarked. “The election commission decides who participates in the election.”
Hasina’s supporters contend that the accusations are politically driven. She spent 16 years as the leader of Bangladesh. If she was actually guilty of such crimes, why was she not tried earlier?” said a former Awami League minister. “This is a power grab, nothing more.”
Yet, Yunus is adamant that justice must be served. His words, “Nobody is above the law,” “If she believes she is innocent, she should return and prove it in court.”
How Bad Is the Situation in Bangladesh?
“The economy and peace and order are the most important things,” Yunus said, describing the current state of the nation. The economy has been wrecked and ruined.
He likened the economic crisis to a natural disaster: “It’s as if there’s been some terrible tornado for 16 years, and we’re trying to pick up the pieces.”
Sheikh Hasina was elected prime minister in 2009 and dominated Bangladesh with an iron fist. During her time in office, her Awami League government brutally suppressed dissent. Numerous claims of human rights abuses, such as the killing and detention of political opponents, were made.
In August, Hasina was ousted from office due to a student-led revolt. Yunus returned to lead the interim government in Bangladesh at the urging of demonstrators.
Bangladesh has long struggled economically. The nation has seen rising debt, inflation, and unemployment during the last ten years. “People are having trouble affording basic necessities,” a Dhaka-based economist stated. “The new government must act quickly to stabilize the economy.”
When Are Elections Scheduled?
Elections in Bangladesh will take place between December 2025 and March 2026, according to Yunus, pending the speed at which his government can put the required reforms into place for free and fair elections.
“If reforms can be done as quickly as we wish, then December would be the time that we would hold elections,” said him. “If you have a longer version of reforms, then we may need a few more months.”
He remarked, “We are coming from complete disorder,” as he considered the nation’s tumultuous past. People were getting shot, killed.”
However, many in Dhaka argue that law and order have not yet been fully restored, and conditions are not improving. In response, Yunus said, “Better is a relative term. At the same time, it appears to be in good shape when compared to last year. The current situation is no different from previous ones.
According to election experts, postponing elections is a necessary step to guarantee transparency. “The last few elections under Hasina’s rule were highly controversial,” said a political analyst. “Yunus is trying to build a system where voters can truly have a say.”
Who Is at Fault for the Present Problems in Bangladesh?
Yunus has largely blamed the previous administration, claiming that years of poor leadership are too responsible for the nation’s problems.
“I am not supporting that these things should happen,” he stated. “I’m saying that you need to take into account that we are not an ideal nation or city that we created overnight. It is an extension of the nation we inherited, a nation that has existed for a very long time.”
According to economic analysts, years of corruption and inadequate planning are to blame for Bangladesh’s economic instability. “When governments focus more on staying in power than addressing real economic issues, this is what happens,” according to an economist.
Will Hasina Be Charged With a Crime?
The regime’s victims of Sheikh Hasina are still irate. Her prosecution for the violent crackdown on student protesters has been demanded by thousands of protesters who have taken to the streets in recent months.
A court in Bangladesh has issued a warrant for her arrest, but India has yet to reply.
The safety of Hasina’s political party members under Yunus’s leadership has also come under scrutiny. In February, numerous residences of Awami League members, including that of Bangladesh’s founder and Hasina’s late father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were damaged and set on fire after her supporters were told she would give a speech on YouTube.
The Awami League has accused the interim administration of condoning violence. Yunus responded to claims that his government is unsafe for them by defending his government.
“A court, a law, and a police station are all present. They can go and complain, register their complaint,” he remarked. Simply put, you don’t complain to a journalist. To voice your grievance and check if the law is being followed, you go to the police station.
How Is Bangladesh Going to Manage Without US Help?
The United States’ decision to reduce foreign aid and discontinue nearly all of the US Agency for International Development’s programs will have a big effect on Bangladesh and other nations.
Yunus is not deterred. “It is their decision,” he said. “It’s been helpful. Because we couldn’t immediately afford the things they are doing, like battling corruption and other things we wanted done.”
The United States is the third-largest contributor of government development assistance to Bangladesh. Last year, the US committed $450 million in international aid.
Asked how the nation would make up the difference, Yunus said, “When it happens, we will make do.”
Everyone will be watching to see if Yunus and his administration can actually implement the promised stability and reforms as the nation approaches the upcoming elections in Bangladesh.
Political commentators feel that Yunus’s leadership will define Bangladesh’s destiny. “Bangladesh could emerge stronger if he succeeds,” a political commentator stated. “If he fails, the country could fall back into political turmoil.”
