Bangladesh Faces Political Turmoil as Muhammad Yunus Battles Military Rift, Protests, and Coup Speculation:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus now finds himself at the center of Bangladesh’s burgeoning political turmoil. This is after the Sheikh Hasina government came to an end in 2024, a period which was supposedly filled with hope and optimism for the war torn country. Trust was regained after his appointment as Chief Advisor for the interim government in August 2024, but his rule was met with opposition from civilians, the military, and established political parties.

Fractured Relations with the Military

His relationship with the army has been rocky, none more so than with General Waqer-uz-Zaman, the Army Chief. The main areas of contention between the two appear to be:

The proposal of a Rakhine humanitarian corridor: Establishing a “safe zone” for Rohingya refugees is one of Yunus’s primary plans, but has faced great pushback from within the army claiming it poses multiple security risks to national sovereignty.

Election timeline: The beltway faction prefers elections to be held by December 2025, while Yunus is in favor of March 2026 after he attempts to implement some reforms.

The unilateral appointment of the National Security Advisor: Sidestepping the army, Yunus unilaterally appointed Khalilur Rahman which further strained the already frail relations.

According to News18, a senior political intelligence official reveals General Zaman is looking to leverage constitutional and political means to dispose of Yunus by forming a coalition of everyone opposing him which includes Shek Hasina and Khaleda Zia to incentivize an election.

Demonstrations have commenced across the country to oppose the interim government

Public outrage has reached alarming levels which includes:

Demonstrations by teachers and civil servants

Strikes for higher pay and minimal oppressive policies

Mass indefinite leave declared by thousands of primary school teachers

Withdrawal of an ordinance deemed excessively controversial concerning the taxation officials.

Civil disorder escalated after the government gave a directive allowing the firing of civil servants without proper justification. This compelled bureaucrats to go on a 3-day strike.

Yunus’s Position in Jeopardy, But He Stays Firm

Despite previously stating that he was considering stepping down, hints from different fronts underlines that he is not looking to resign anytime soon.

"He is definitely staying," Said Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud confirming Yunus's resolve during a spur of the moment advisory council meeting.

Yunus has also reached out towards supporting political parties such as the Khelafat-e-Majlish Islamists which comprises 20 other political parties.

Sheikh Hasina's Counterattack from Exile

Hasina continues surging forward to discredit Yunus ever since she was exiled to India. Her accusations towards him include:

Aid and endorsement coming from the foreign and militant sectors.

Usurping civilian ruling powers.

Cancelation of the League of Awami Incorporation which is certainly unlawful.

With no exception, vessels have not abounded to Hasina's framed logic which witnesses political allies from other factions.

Impending Danger of Military Coup

Observers and analysts highlight the risk that:

Dissatisfaction within the armed forces

Protests at local levels

Stalemates in political talks

… could trigger the scenario of a military coup. Bangladesh risks falling back into an unstable cycle if Yunus is ousted or steps down, which in turn might dismantle the democratic progression framework he was tasked with advancing.