Bangladesh's interim govt chief Yunus mulls resignation: Report

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus is mulling resignation as he is finding it difficult to work in view of political parties failing to reach a common ground to bring a change in the country, according to a media report.

Student-led National Citizen Party chief Nhid Islam was quoted by BBC Bangla Service that Yunus is apprehensive over the evolving political situation in the country and whether he will be able to carry on with his work.

There have been reports of some discord between the military and the interim government over the possible timeline for holding the parliamentary elections.


Though Islam said Yunus is considering resigning from the post of Chief Advisor, there was no official statement or clarity from his office on the report.

"Sir said, 'If I can't work... I was brought here after a mass uprising to bring change and reform to the country. But in the current situation, with mounting pressure from movements and the way I'm being cornered, this isn't how I can work. The political parties-you've all failed to reach common ground'," Islam told the BBC.

Islam, who was one of the key coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination which led the July uprising last year that forced prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, said he told Yunus "to stay strong for the sake of the country's security, and future and to meet the expectations of the mass uprising".

"I hope everyone will cooperate with him," he said.

Yunus's government in the past two days faced several challenges, including intensifying tensions within the interim Cabinet.

The interim government on May 12 officially disbanded Hasina's Awami League under an overnight revised anti-terrorism law, two days after it slapped a ban on its "activities" under the previous version of the law.

Yunus has been facing calls from the political parties to announce a date for the next elections.