The backlash was sparked by Yunus’ comments during a visit to Japan earlier this week, where he reportedly said that “no one except one party wants elections in December.”
Bangladesh’s fragile political landscape is heading for deeper uncertainty after several political parties denounced Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus for making what they call “misleading and damaging” remarks regarding the timing and demand for national elections.
The backlash was sparked by Yunus’ comments during a visit to Japan earlier this week, where he reportedly said that “no one except one party wants elections in December.” The remark, widely circulated in Bangladeshi media, has provoked sharp responses from opposition parties who say Yunus is attempting to misrepresent the national consensus and prolong his unelected interim government’s tenure.
In coordinated statements, opposition alliances including Gono Forum, the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), and the 12-Party Alliance condemned Yunus’ assertion as “false, misleading, and harmful to the political atmosphere.” They reaffirmed their collective demand for elections by December 2025 and accused the Yunus-led administration of trying to derail democratic processes under the guise of reform.
The Forum also called for an immediate declaration of an election roadmap, warning that the interim government had failed to take any concrete steps in nine months to restore order or ensure credible electoral reforms.
“More than 50 political parties—registered and unregistered—have repeatedly demanded elections be held by the end of this year,” Gono Forum leaders said following their praesidium council meeting on Friday. “Yunus’ remarks are an intentional distortion of the truth.”
The Forum also called for an immediate declaration of an election roadmap, warning that the interim government had failed to take any concrete steps in nine months to restore order or ensure credible electoral reforms. “There is still no sign of a neutral Election Commission, no assurance of freedom of speech, and no visible effort to clean up the politicised bureaucracy,” a Gono Forum leader added.
The 12-Party Alliance went further, accusing Yunus of entering into alliances with “radical, unpopular and anti-liberation groups” to stay in power. “His political trickery is endangering the country’s hard-earned democratic values,” the alliance stated, noting that Yunus’ controversial statements only deepen existing political divisions.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the country’s largest opposition group, also weighed in. A report in Prothom Alo quoted BNP leaders warning of mass protests if a clear roadmap for elections is not declared by the end of June. “We will give them one more month,” said BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed. “If they fail, street movements will begin in July, escalating into a full-scale movement for democracy.”
The BNP also criticised Yunus for holding closed-door meetings with controversial advisors and allegedly ignoring calls for political inclusivity. The lack of transparency and absence of public trust have only worsened the political deadlock, opposition leaders argue.
Ratcheting up the pressure, BNP’s Mirza Abbas launched a scathing personal attack on Yunus during a rally on Thursday. “This government is rotten from head to toe,” he said. “If they couldn’t deliver reforms in nine months, they won’t do it in nine years. They should apologise and step aside.”
The escalating criticism has reportedly shaken the interim administration. Yunus had earlier confided to political allies about his desire to resign due to mounting frustrations and waning support. Although he has not made any official announcement, speculation continues to swirl over his future.
Adding a new layer to the crisis, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman last week made a rare public intervention, stating that elections must be held by December and a democratically elected government should assume power by January 1, 2026. His remarks are being interpreted by analysts as both a warning and a signal of diminishing confidence in the interim leadership.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has accused the interim regime of authoritarianism and media repression. A statement by the party’s Joint General Secretary, A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim, described the Yunus-led government as a “fascist clique” that seized power through “foreign and domestic conspiracies.”
“The Yunus regime has created a reign of fear in the media, forcing self-censorship and silencing dissent,” the Awami League said. “They are terrified of our public support and have even gone as far as blocking the party’s website.”
Nasim alleged that Yunus’ administration has erased the nation’s history by trying to “reset” its political narrative and has deliberately sidelined any references to the Liberation War or the founding principles of Bangladesh. “They’ve banned political activities and unleashed mobs on journalists. It’s a deliberate campaign to rewrite Bangladesh in their own image,” he said.
Despite these obstacles, the Awami League vowed to continue its struggle to restore democracy and uphold the rights of the people. “No force can sever the party’s bond with the masses,” Nasim said. “The people will rise again, as they always have.”
With the December deadline now at the centre of a brewing political storm, Bangladesh’s political future hangs in the balance. Whether Yunus will step aside or dig in his heels may determine whether the country moves towards democratic restoration—or deeper turmoil.
