Cracks in Yunus’s interim government as advisors clash with student allies

Tensions within Bangladesh’s interim government escalated recently as Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor for environment and climate change affairs, publicly rejected claims that she and other advisers are seeking a “safe exit” amid the nation’s shifting political landscape.

“I am not seeking any exit at all,” Hasan told reporters, countering allegations made by the National Citizen Party (NCP), a student-led movement that has grown into a key political force since last year’s turbulent protests.

NCP leaders question loyalty of advisors

The controversy erupted after NCP convenor Nahid Islam suggested some advisors were secretly negotiating with political parties to secure personal safety, raising questions about loyalty during the 2024 student-led uprising that toppled the Awami League government.

“It was a big mistake to trust many members of the advisory council. We were betrayed after placing our confidence in them. Many advisers have liaised with different political parties; they are now thinking of their own safe exit,” Islam said in a recent television interview.

He did not name any advisers or the political parties allegedly involved, but his remarks fueled speculation of fractures within the coalition that has governed Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina’s abrupt fall in August.

The dispute intensified when NCP leader Sarjis Alam warned on October 7 that “the only exit that remains open for advisers is death.” Hasan rejected the grim assertion, reaffirming her commitment to Bangladesh and challenging the NCP to clarify its statements.

From student revolt to political powerhouse

The NCP, founded in February with support from Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has its roots in the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, which spearheaded last year’s violent “July Uprising.” That uprising forced Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on 5 August and sent shockwaves through Bangladesh’s political establishment.

Returning from Paris days after the unrest, Yunus assumed leadership of the interim government as chief adviser, calling the student leaders who propelled the revolt his “appointers.” His cabinet included student representatives as advisers, though Nahid Islam later resigned to lead the NCP, leaving two others in the interim government.

Under pressure from the NCP, the Yunus administration in May banned all Awami League activities, pending trials for top leaders, including Hasina, for alleged crimes during their tenure and the violent crackdown on 2024 protests. Hundreds of Awami League members have been arrested, with thousands going underground as the NCP moves to render the party “irrelevant” in national politics.

Legal crackdown intensifies

The turmoil escalated further recently when a special tribunal ordered the arrest of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 29 others for alleged crimes against humanity tied to enforced disappearances during her administration, highlighting Bangladesh’s deepening political crisis.