In battle of nerves with army, Yunus talks exit

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus is threatning to resign amid opposition to his style of functioning, according to some reports.

This follows army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman's ultimatum to the government to put its house in order while Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is backing the ruling dispensation, is pushing for early elections.

On Thursday evening, National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam met Yunus at his official residence Jamuna to discuss the developments. Islam was among student leaders that led street protests to oust Sheikh Hasina from power.


The meeting came amid widespread speculation in Dhaka about Yunus's resignation. The student leaders are apprehensive of their future in Yunus' absence.

Yunus, who had been positioning himself over the past two decades to lead Bangladesh, was sworn in as the chief adviser of the interim regime within three days of Hasina's ouster, giving rise to speculation that the move was planned.

Critics of the regime are of the opinion that the students and Islamists would fare badly if the polls are held in near future and therefore they plan to delay it.

ET had reported this week how tensions have heightened between the army chief and the interim regime over the creation of the Rakhine corridor to Myanmar, roadmap for holding the elections and the law and order situation in the country, among other issues.