Dhaka: Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has slammed Muhammad Yunus, who headed the country’s interim administration after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024 till the February elections, saying he “did not follow the country’s constitution”.
In an interview to Bangladesh newspaper Kaaler Kantho, Shahabuddin revealed a stark picture of the chaos that unfolded in the country during the interim government’s rule saying that the Yunus administration did not brief him about important decisions, including the trade agreement between Bangladesh and the United States that was announced a few days before the election.
Shahabuddin recalled the 18 months of the Yunus administration and said that there were attempts to “destroy the law and order situation in the country and create a constitutional crisis”.
The President said the Yunus administration did not consult him while issuing orders. “The constitution says that the chief advisor has to brief me after every foreign trip. But Dr. Yunus did not update me. The chief advisor has to inform me in writing about the talks and discussions that happen overseas. He went abroad some 14 or 15 times, but he never met me after those trips,” he said.
The President said Yunus did not take him into confidence even when the U.S.-Bangladesh deal was signed. “I should have been briefed when the deal was signed... It is a constitutional mandate. But he (Mr. Yunus) did not do that, neither verbally nor in writing.”
Referring to the protests outside Bangabhaban, the President’s residence and office, on October 22, 2024, Shahabuddin alleged that there were “conspiracies to depose him”. He said he never got a call from Yunus after the protests. “He never had any stance for or against me. And I never reached out to him for any support,” he said.
The President said it was Bangladesh National Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman, who became Prime Minister on February 17 after winning a landmark election, who stood by him. “The BNP leadership assured me and said that I must ensure constitutional continuity in the country. The armed forces also stood by me.”
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Bangladesh restores visa services for Indians New Delhi: Bangladesh’s new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rehman has initiated a sweeping reshuffle of top military positions and simultaneously restored full visa and consular services for Indian citizens, moves that have drawn close attention in New Delhi and regional strategic circles. Within days of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP)-led government being sworn in on February 17, Dhaka set the changes in motion on February 23, appointing a new Chief of General Staff (CGS) and a new head of military intelligence, along with other key postings in the armed forces’ top hierarchy. In a parallel diplomatic signal, Bangladesh has restored full visa and consular services for Indian citizens across all its missions, after a temporary suspension during the election period. The decision is widely seen as an attempt to ease tensions and revive bilateral engagement. The move follows India’s earlier suspension of certain visa categories for Bangladeshi nationals in December. |
