Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, confronts intensifying protests as primary school teachers and civil servants demand wage hikes and the withdrawal of a controversial ordinance.
The law, enacted on May 25, allows the dismissal of public employees without due process, sparking widespread outrage. Government workers labeled the measure “repressive,” staging demonstrations for three consecutive days, while teachers began indefinite leave on May 27.
Earlier protests by National Board of Revenue (NBR) employees forced the government to retract plans to dissolve the tax agency, highlighting growing resistance to policy overhauls.
Political and Military Pressures Intensify
Yunus’s administration faces competing demands from political factions and the military. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) insists on elections by December 2025, while Yunus advocates delaying polls until June 2026 to implement reforms. Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman amplified pressure, publicly urging December elections and criticizing the government’s handling of strategic issues like a proposed humanitarian corridor to Myanmar. Over the weekend, Yunus held crisis talks with the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), aiming to stabilize his tenuous coalition.
Awami League’s Suspension Deepens Rifts
The suspension of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League (AL) in May 2025 has further polarized the political landscape. The Election Commission barred the AL from contesting future polls, citing its alleged role in crackdowns during 2024’s anti-government protests. Critics argue the ban risks democratic backsliding, while supporters frame it as accountability for past atrocities. Yunus’s press secretary described the climate as a “war-like situation,” alleging destabilization efforts following the AL’s exclusion.
Yunus’s Reform Agenda Under Fire
The interim government’s reform push has faced backlash. Public sector workers accuse it of authoritarian overreach, while business leaders warn of economic paralysis due to policy instability. Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud reiterated Yunus’s commitment to “fair elections” but acknowledged mounting obstacles. Meanwhile, speculation about Yunus’s potential resignation surfaced after student leaders hinted at his frustration with political gridlock, though advisers later denied the claims.