Rifts emerge in Yunus govt ahead of 2026 polls

New Delhi: Bangladesh could plunge into another crisis ahead of the parliamentary elections due to internal turmoil in the interim government led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, with tensions escalating between allied parties and student leaders.

Two advisers to the interim government - Mahfuj Alam, who handled information and broadcasting, and Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuyain, in charge of local government - have been asked to step down following pressure from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), persons familiar with the development told ET.

Both advisers are prominent student leaders.


BNP and Jamaat have reportedly questioned their neutrality as they are seen as being too close to the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP).

They have raised concerns that the students may make inroads into Bangladesh's mainstream politics, long dominated by the Awami League and BNP, besides Jamaat as the oldest radical outfit. Yunus has announced that a general election will be conducted in February 2026.

No Awami League in polls

Meanwhile, Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary to Yunus, on Friday said there is no possibility of the Awami League contesting the national election, local media reported. The statement contradicts Yunus's recent claim that the activities of the Awami League are suspended and could be resumed at any time.