Bangladesh Army holds emergency meeting amid coup fears

Dhaka: Coup fears have surfaced in Bangladesh, with a possibility of the army removing interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, media reports said. The army, led by Waker-Uz-Zaman, held an emergency meeting this week, signaling potential major developments in the coming days, the India Today website reported.

As per the report, the meeting was attended by top army officers, including five Lieutenant Generals, eight Major Generals (GOCs), commanding officers of Independent Brigades, and officials from the army headquarters.

There has been a growing mistrust among the Bangladeshi people towards the government ever since Muhammad Yunus took charge after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August last year.

The discussions in the meeting revolved around the potential role of the military in restoring stability, sources said, indicating that the army may pressure the president to declare a state of emergency or stage a coup against Yunus. The army is also exploring the option of forming a national unity government under its oversight, the news outlet reported.

Yunus, who is set to hold his first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, said in his nationwide address that attempts are being made to mislead the people by spreading false information. “As you know, since the interim government took office, there has been a festival of rumors in the media and social media. In order to destabilize the country, attempts are being made to mislead the people by spreading false information one after another,” Yunus said.