Bangladesh to hold all-party talks to foster stability
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Interim leader Muhammad Yunus convenes renewed talks with political factions amid rising unrest and growing demands for early elections.
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Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh's interim leader, talks to CNN's anchor Becky Anderson during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, February 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Interim Bangladeshi leader and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is set to host a renewed round of dialogue with political factions on Sunday, aiming to build consensus amid deepening tensions and mounting calls for early elections. Officials confirmed that the caretaker government, led by Yunus since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year, is pushing for political unity to prevent further instability during the fragile transition.
The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer returned from exile in August 2024 at the request of the mass protest movement that toppled Hasina's 15-year rule. As chief advisor of the interim government, Yunus has pledged to oversee democratic reforms and organize elections by June 2026. However, protests, partisan disputes, and military pressure are accelerating demands for a faster electoral timeline.
Following a tense week of demonstrations in Dhaka, the Yunus administration warned Saturday that political infighting threatens to unravel recent progress. “Broader unity is essential to maintain national stability, organise free and fair elections, justice, and reform, and permanently prevent the return of authoritarianism,” the government said in a statement.
Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, confirmed that he will meet several party leaders on Sunday but declined to disclose the full list. Bangladesh currently has 54 registered political groups, excluding the now-banned Awami League, whose fugitive leader Sheikh Hasina remains in exile.
Saturday’s extended talks included key groups that have staged recent protests. Among those attending Sunday’s session are Mamunul Haque of the Islamist Khelafat-e-Majlis and Zonayed Saki of the leftist Ganosamhati Andolon, both of whom confirmed they would join.
Reform agenda stalled, opposition pushes for December vote
Since taking office, Yunus’s caretaker government has created several reform commissions and unveiled a democratic overhaul plan. However, progress has been sluggish. The last all-party dialogue took place on February 15, and some leaders have since expressed disappointment at the lack of follow-through.
Responding to criticism, the government blamed “unreasonable demands, deliberately provocative and jurisdictionally overreaching statements” for obstructing the reform process.
Yunus’s future has also come under scrutiny. While reports suggest he recently considered resigning, his cabinet insists he will remain in office until his mandate concludes.
On Saturday, Yunus met with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely seen as the frontrunner in the next elections. The BNP is pressing for a December 2025 vote. Their position has been echoed by Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, who reportedly stated that elections should be held before the year ends.
Yunus also held discussions with leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist group, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), a youth-led movement instrumental in toppling Hasina. NCP leader Nahid Islam warned that several parties were attempting to “bypass reforms and assume power” before institutional restructuring could be implemented.
“There are indications,” he cautioned, “that a military-backed government could re-emerge if the electoral timetable is forced through without consensus.”
As Yunus resumes talks, the stakes are high: a rushed election could unravel the fragile reform process, while further delays may embolden accusations of stalling.
The path forward will test not only his leadership but the resilience of Bangladesh’s post-Hasina transition.
