Latest news with #MuhammadYunus
Times of Oman
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Bangladesh NSA in Washington to brief US about progress on holding elections
Dhaka : Bangladesh's National Security Adviser (NSA) Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau at the State Department in Washington, DC, Bangladesh Chief Adviser's Press Wing said in a statement on Thursday. "They discussed the Rohingya issue, ongoing tariff negotiations between Bangladesh and the US, developments in South Asia, and the democratic transition in Bangladesh", the statement said. "Deputy Secretary of State lauded the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at a critical juncture for Bangladesh and reiterated continued US support for Bangladesh", it added. "Dr. Rahman separately met Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch and had fruitful discussions on the agreement between the two countries on reciprocal tariffs", the statement said. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in a student-led uprising in August last year. Hasina fled to India, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed. On June 14, Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, hinted at holding national elections in early February next year. However, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed concern over the ban on political parties in Bangladesh and stressed that the decision "unduly restricts the freedom of association, expression and assembly". He urged the Bangladesh's interim government to hold free and inclusive elections. Bangladesh's interim government earlier banned the activities of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League and its affiliated organisations. Subsequently, in May, the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) suspended the registration of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League as a political party. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, has hinted at holding national elections in early February next year." The Chief Adviser said that he has announced that the elections will be held by the first half of February next year. If all preparations are completed, the elections could be held even in the week before the start of Ramadan in 2026," said a joint statement issued after the talks between Muhammad Yunus and Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman in London.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Writers and artists in Tripura write to Muhammad Yunus condemning vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh
Amid protests against an attack on Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh, poets, writers, and intellectuals wrote to Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday demanding 'exemplary punishment' for the culprits behind the 'shameful and condemnable' incident. A letter signed by eminent litterateurs Professor Mihir Deb and Ratul Debbarman; renowned theatre artist Bibhu Bhattacharya; painter, mime artist, and Sangeet Natak Academy awardee Swapan Nandy; and Professor Mujahid Rahman, was sent via the West Tripura district magistrate's office, from where it is expected to be forwarded to the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh at Agartala. The Assistant High Commission is in turn expected to forward the letter to Dhaka. In the letter, the signatories said their protest was voiced from Tripura, which has a long relationship with Tagore and was visited by him several times, and that the people of the state were 'deeply hurt' by the attack on the Nobel literature laureate's ancestral 'kacharibari' (revenue office) at Shahzadpur in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district last week. 'Rabindranath Tagore is the consciousness that encircles all our inspirations, awareness. He is a beacon holder of global thought, rising above the narrow barriers of language, identity, religion, colour. We celebrate him every day through the national anthem. We believe with all our heart that everything which share his memory are of pride for us. Insult or disrespect to Rabindranath Tagore – whether it is in our country or elsewhere, is shameful and condemnable, unpardonable,' reads the letter. The vandals have not only damaged precious historical assets but also insulted the cultural values of millions of people and deserve 'proper justice' and 'exemplary punishment', the writers and artists further wrote in the letter. On Monday, the ruling BJP protested in Agartala against the vandalism and attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh. BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee and leaders Subal Bhowmik, Bhagaban Das, Mimi Majumdar, and others carried placards and banners condemning the developments in the neighbouring country. Earlier, on June 14, similar protests took place in other parts of the state, including at Kailashahar in Unakoti, the Raghna international border in North Tripura, Sonamura in Sepahijala, Belonia in South Tripura, and Agartala. TIPRA Motha also organised several protests against the vandalism in Bangladesh.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How the Islamist surge in Bangladesh is a threat to India too
A classified intelligence report jointly compiled by several national and regional agencies between August 2024 and March 2025 has revealed a disturbing resurgence of Islamist extremist activity in Bangladesh, posing a significant threat to the country's democratic transition and regional stability. Based on social network analysis, human intelligence and on-ground surveillance, the report traces the regrouping of radical factions in and around Dhaka, linking this phenomenon to an organised effort to derail Bangladesh's political recovery ahead of the national elections recently announced by interim leader Muhammad Yunus for early April intelligence assessment outlines how a hardline Islamist network—drawing elements from Hizb ut-Tahrir, Islamic State and Ansarullah Bangla Team—has been rebuilding its infrastructure, particularly among Dhaka's youth and religious fringe. This network is believed to be the main force behind the mobilisation of the so-called Towhidi Janata mobs, responsible for recent attacks on mazaars (Sufi shrines), minority communities and public institutions. Intelligence officials warn that these groups are operating with an alarming degree of coordination, staging blockades in front of Shahbagh Police Station, RAB headquarters and even Kashimpur Jail, in addition to storming the offices of mainstream newspapers such as Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Over 50 public 'religious' seminars have been organised in the past six months across Bangladesh—nominally spiritual events, but in fact used to identify, vet and recruit new members for regional extremist has further alarmed intelligence agencies is the systematic establishment of 18 to 20 gymnasiums and martial arts centres around the country. These are not just fitness centres—they serve as hubs of ideological indoctrination and militant training. The new recruits, particularly disillusioned young men mostly from conservative backgrounds, are trained physically and mentally to serve the radical Islamist networks that seek to upset Bangladesh's fragile political the ideological front, three radical preachers—Enayetullah Abbasi, Abu Toha Muhammad Adnan and Rafiqul Islam Madani—are spearheading a campaign of hate speech and veiled incitement to violence. Intelligence reports suggest they have rallied around Mufti Harun Ijhar, a known extremist formerly associated with Hifazat-e-Islam and arrested in 2021. Since August last year, these preachers have travelled extensively across rural districts, publicly endorsing Mufti Ijhar's call for an Islamic revival and using populist rhetoric to present themselves as the voice of 'real Muslims' in opposition to the secular A disturbing layer to this emerging ecosystem is the role of sympathetic media figures. A journalist affiliated with a popular Bangla daily has been named in the report as a key propagandist and enabler of Ijhar's network. This person, closely associated with the daily's editor and a Bangladeshi ideologue, has allegedly worked to suppress coverage of Islamist violence in mainstream media. He also collaborates with controversial YouTuber Elias Hossain to craft misleading narratives that portray Bangladesh as free from extremism—despite mounting evidence to the intelligence report identifies 15 individuals embedded in various professional domains such as healthcare, academia, digital content creation and religious education, who are operating as covert recruiters and propagandists for Hizb ut-Tahrir and Islamic State affiliates. Recruits are often drawn from elite institutions, including the Bangladesh University of Engineering and technology (BUET) and private universities, where they are groomed to act as 'sleeper agents' and 'ideological multipliers'.The report outlines three competing but overlapping hypotheses regarding the motivations of these networks. The first posits that the extremists are deliberately fomenting chaos in order to delay or disrupt the upcoming election and create conditions favourable for a covert military or ideological takeover. The second suggests these groups may be acting at the behest of a powerful interest group—possibly with foreign links—that seeks to prevent the election from taking place on time, thereby preserving a transitional status quo favourable to their strategic interests. The third, longer-term strategy appears to involve weakening the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) through a sustained campaign of propaganda and reducing the BNP's projected seat count and rendering it incapable of forming a stable government, Islamist factions hope to gain parliamentary leverage—particularly under the Yunus government's proposed reforms that grant more power to the opposition. Over time, this could pave the way for an incremental Islamist capture of Bangladesh's political system through legal and electoral which shares a porous 4,096-km border with Bangladesh, has taken note of these developments with deep concern. The resurgence of Islamist extremism in a neighbouring state carries immediate implications for border security, communal harmony in West Bengal and Assam, and cross-border terrorism. The use of digital platforms to radicalise individuals in Bangladesh could easily be replicated across the border, especially in vulnerable minority-dense districts. Indian intelligence officials have already red-flagged signs of ideological spillover and potential infiltration routes being tested along the these threats, the response from the interim Yunus government has been notably restrained. Despite repeated red flags raised by national and foreign security agencies, key figures with open links to internationally proscribed organisations are operating with near impunity. Public seminars, inflammatory sermons and strategic recruitment drives have continued unabated. While Yunus has publicly committed to holding free and fair elections in April 2026, his administration's reluctance to crack down on rising extremism has raised serious questions about its priorities and political calculations. Some analysts believe the leniency stems from an unwillingness to alienate powerful religious groups or stir controversy ahead of elections. Others fear that parts of the interim establishment may view the Islamists as a counterweight to both the Awami League and the joint intelligence report concludes with a warning that unless urgent and coordinated action is taken—both by Dhaka and its regional partners—the Islamist resurgence could reverse years of progress in secular governance and democratic institution-building in Bangladesh. For India, the report serves as a stark reminder that the next phase of regional instability may not arise from across its western frontier—but from its to India Today Magazineadvertisement
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Is Bangladesh ready for a 'credible' election?
Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, recently met the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is expected to be the frontrunner in elections next year. Tarique Rahman, who has lived in exile in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, is the acting chairman of the BNP, a major party which his mother, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, led for decades. The meeting in the UK capital London was held amid rising tensions in Bangladesh, which has been locked in a tense political limbo since an uprising culminated in former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation in August 2024. Reforms needed before elections The BNP wanted an election by December 2025, while the interim government had been aiming for April 2026, saying it needs time to implement a host of reforms. Yunus and Rahman have now agreed that polls could be held in February — if sufficient progress on reforms is made. These include constitutional reforms, changes to the electoral process and boosting judicial independence and press freedoms. Authorities also need to deliver justice for the victims of last year's mass protests, in which hundreds were killed, mostly by the security forces loyal to Hasina and her Awami League. Tasnim Jara, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), newly formed by the student leaders of last year's protests, thinks that while the government has taken initial steps for an election, "institutional readiness remains uneven." "Key election infrastructure, such as an impartial election commission, a neutral civil administration, and an independent judiciary, requires urgent reform. A credible election will depend on whether the political parties can agree on a reform package soon and whether that package is visibly implemented in time," she told DW. While the agreement between the BNP and Yunus is a welcome development for many observers, they say that the restoration of law and order to allow for a credible election that includes all major parties remains a priority. Saimum Parvez, a special assistant to the BNP Chairman, thinks that "the dismal law and order situation, unchecked unruly mobs, and encouragement of depoliticisation" are the obstacles. "However, as common people of Bangladesh are usually enthusiastic about participating and engaging in electoral campaigns, it is possible to overcome these obstacles with community support," he told DW. The Dhaka-based political historiographer Mohiuddin Ahmed, however, was less optimistic. "Bangladeshi political parties don't behave peacefully during elections. They tend to use force whenever possible to control polling centers. Maintaining an orderly situation during the polls will be challenging if the administrations and police forces don't work properly," he told DW. Former government and security officials face criminal charges A UN fact-finding mission this year found that officials from Bangladesh's former government and security apparatus had systematically committed serious human rights violations against protesters last summer and that crimes against humanity may have been carried out. Hundreds of cases have been filed against Hasina and her allies since she fled to India on August 5, 2024. Her Awami League party claims that the cases are politically motivated. Observers say that the country's security forces have lost credibility since last year's crackdown, which has contributed to the deteriorating security situation. Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist and a professor at London's SOAS University, said that Bangladesh was tough to govern and that order had always been "difficult to achieve." "It is one reason why people put up with Sheikh Hasina so long — at least she wielded the power to maintain some semblance of order, violent and repressive though it was for anyone who wanted to dissent," Hossain told DW. She added that given the political vacuum since Hasina's ouster, it was "no surprise" that law and order was currently "a problem." "I think that the army is probably feeling the need to act with caution given the human rights violations they allegedly participated in last year. That means not being too heavy-handed with the mobs and Islamist gangs we see news reports about," she said. Military brought in to tackle lawlessness Bangladesh's interim government has empowered army officers with the rank of captain or higher to help police maintain law and order in the country. However, Tasnim Jara, a former doctor who is now a politician, told DW that the army's deployment had not resolved the crisis and only "exposed deeper issues." "State-sanctioned violence and repression over the past 16 years deeply undermined public trust and destabilized the foundations of governance," Jara said, calling for that legacy to be addressed. "Lasting stability will only come through institutional reform of the police and security agencies. We have yet to see these reforms," she added. Will the Awami League be able to take part in the election? The Awami League was banned last month pending trials by a special tribunal into the party and its leaders for alleged crimes against humanity and human rights violations. But observers, including Hossain, think Bangladesh's oldest party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming polls because it still enjoys broad support, despite the fact that many of its leaders are "credibly accused of numerous crimes." "The party is a huge national body and still seems to command a lot of support across the country, perhaps particularly in rural areas and among minority groups and women. Banning them serves no good purpose," Hossain told DW. She warned that such a move would likely lead to "a super-majority landslide" for the BNP, "who will then be empowered to behave exactly as the Awami League did when it won its super-majority back in 2008." Jara, on the other hand, thinks that before the Awami League can be allowed to participate in elections, its leaders must first be held accountable for their alleged human rights violations which include "enforced disappearances, torture, election rigging, and widespread killings." "A credible legal process must address these before any accused entity can participate. If justice is bypassed, it will destroy public trust and risk returning the country to the very repression people rose up against. No party can be above the law," she told DW.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
The Interview Muhammad Yunus: We dream of creating a new Bangladesh
Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News presenter and correspondent, speaks to Muhammad Yunus, interim leader of Bangladesh. The 84-year-old is perhaps one of the world's best-known Bangladeshis. Described as the banker to the world's poor, he gained international recognition as a Nobel prize-winning economist, who founded the Grameen microfinance bank, which delivered small loans to economically deprived people. It was a model applauded by many and is one which now operates across more than 100 countries worldwide. But it's also a model which was criticised by his political rival - Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who accused Mr Yunus of sucking blood from the poor. Her government made a series of allegations against him, including embezzlement, all of which he denies. And it was the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina's government last August that saw Muhammad Yunus thrust into the political spotlight. Student-led protests saw thousands take to the streets in an uprising against her Awami league government, which was accused of election rigging, human rights abuses and jailing critics. When Ms Hasina fled to neighbouring India, student leaders picked Muhammad Yunus to unite a divided nation. As well as promising to stamp out corruption, he's also faced the challenges of managing a refugee crisis on his doorstep and navigating cuts to foreign aid. So, after nearly a year in the job, how is he faring? The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Rajini Vaidyanathan Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@ and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Muhammad Yunus. Credit: Reuters/Yves Herman)
