Last Updated:
Muhammad Yunus’ interim government continues to face international scrutiny over its treatment of opposition parties and its crackdown on dissent.
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus (Credits: AFP)
Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus said that his government is committed to maintaining strong bilateral ties with India.
“We want to build the best relationship with India. They’re our neighbour. We don’t want to have a basic problem with them,” Muhammad Yunus said, adding, “But somehow things go wrong every time because of all the fake news.”
Muhammad Yunus, who assumed charge following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, said Bangladesh was growing increasingly “jittery and angry” due to repeated online disinformation campaigns.
“We try to get over this anger. But the whole barrage of things keeps happening in cyberspace. We can’t just get away from that. Even if we try to remain peaceful, suddenly they say something, do something- and the anger comes back. So this is now a big task for us,” Muhammad Yunus said.
Bangladesh-India Relations
Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have remained tense since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who later took refuge in India. In May 2025, the interim administration banned Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, accusing it of corruption and authoritarianism and accused India of interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) formally indicted Sheikh Hasina and two others for alleged mass murder related to the 2024 crackdown on student-led protests.
April 2026 Elections Announced In Bangladesh
Muhammad Yunus announced that national elections will be held in April 2026, rejecting the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) demand for early polls.
“The government has held discussions with all parties to organise the most free, fair, competitive and acceptable elections in history,” he said, adding, “After reviewing the ongoing reform activities related to justice, reform and elections, I am announcing to the people of the country today that the next national elections will be held on a day in the first half of April 2026.”
Muhammad Yunus’ interim government continues to face international scrutiny over its treatment of opposition parties and its crackdown on dissent. However, Muhammad Yunus has maintained that the roadmap to elections will focus on transparency and institutional reform.
When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, “What is the purpose of journalism in society?”
When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, “What is the purpose of journalism in society?”
- First Published:
