Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus not stepping down amid growing unease: ‘Overcoming obstacles’

Muhammad Yunus, who had expressed his desire to resign as chief adviser, will not step down and remain as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, an adviser in his cabinet said on Saturday. Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said that Muhammad Yunus only emphasised that the interim givernment was “overcoming obstacles”.

"He [Muhammad Yunus] didn't say he will leave. He said that while we face many obstacles in carrying out the work and responsibilities assigned to us, we are overcoming them,” he told reporters after an unscheduled meeting of the advisory council.

“He [Yunus] is definitely staying.”

Meanwhile, Muhammad Yunus has convened an unexpected meeting of the advisory council on Saturday.

The move followed Yunus's announcement expressing his intention to resign as chief adviser, citing challenges in navigating the political deadlock and the inability of parties to reach a consensus on reforms.

“He is likely to sit with the Advisers (effectively ministers) shortly after the ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) meeting,” which is underway as scheduled, a news agency reported.

According to the reports, Muhammad Yunus is likely to meet the advisers along with former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami later on Saturday.

According to the chief adviser's press wing, a BNP delegation would meet the chief advisers at 7:00 pm while Jamaat leaders would meet him at 8:00 pm. “We have been invited by the Chief Adviser's Office to hold a meeting over the latest political situation,” a BNP spokesman told the media earlier.

Just a few days ago, Muhammad Yunus said that he was mulling stepping down as he felt “the situation is such that he cannot work". Earlier on the same day, Muhamad Yunus had also told his Cabinet that he wanted to step down.

NCP convenor Nahid Islam said he urged Yunus "to stay strong for the sake of the country’s security and future and to meet the expectations of the mass uprising’ (and) I hope everyone will cooperate with him”. Advisers of Yunus' cabinet also persuaded him to not relinquish the post.

Meanwhile, special adviser to Muhammad Yunus affirmed that he would not step down. “For the sake of Bangladesh and a peaceful democratic transition, Professor Yunus needs to remain in office,” Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said in a Facebook post, adding, “The Chief Adviser is not going to step down. He does not hanker after power.” He later deleted the post.

(With agency inputs)