Bangladesh Interim PM Muhammad Yunus Likely to Resign: Report

Muhammad Yunus may step down as interim chief amid rising tensions with the military and lack of political consensus following last year’s student-led uprising.

Dhaka | May 23, 2025
Bangladesh’s interim government chief, Professor Muhammad Yunus, is reportedly considering stepping down from his post amid a worsening political impasse and increasing pressure from the military. According to BBC Bangla, Yunus expressed frustration over the inability of political parties to reach a common ground, hindering his ability to govern.

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The revelation was made by Nhid Islam, head of the National Citizen Party (NCP) — a student-led political group that emerged from last year’s mass protests. Islam met Yunus on Thursday and confirmed that the Nobel laureate is “thinking about resignation” due to the current state of instability.

“Sir [Yunus] said the situation is such that he cannot work,” Islam told BBC. “Unless the political parties cooperate, he feels powerless.”

Yunus assumed the role of Chief Adviser, effectively the prime minister, after the 2024 student uprising ousted former PM Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League government. During the protests, the Bangladesh Army notably refrained from cracking down on demonstrators, facilitating Hasina’s exit to India and endorsing Yunus’s appointment — under pressure from the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, now a part of the NCP.

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Tensions with the Military

Sources indicate a growing rift between Yunus and the Bangladesh military leadership, which had initially supported the transition. This divide adds to the fragility of the interim setup, which has yet to secure broad political consensus.

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Nhid Islam urged Yunus to “stay strong for the country’s security and future,” adding that the resignation should only be considered if he no longer enjoys the trust and support of the political establishment.

“If political parties want him gone, and if he doesn’t have the trust to govern, then what’s the point in staying?” Islam said.

Background

Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, took office with high hopes of reforming Bangladesh’s political culture after a decade of growing unrest and accusations of authoritarianism under the Awami League.

However, the honeymoon period for his interim government appears to be waning, as tensions with the army and lack of cooperation from major parties have thrown the roadmap to elections into uncertainty.

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Bangladesh politics, Muhammad Yunus, interim government Bangladesh, Bangladesh military, student uprising Bangladesh, NCP Nhid Islam, Sheikh Hasina exit, Bangladesh crisis, SAD movement, political deadlock Bangladesh