Bangladesh Interim Leader Yunus Threatens to Resign Amid Political Crisis
DHAKA — May 23, 2025 — Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has threatened to resign if political parties fail to unite behind him, sources close to his office confirmed Thursday.
Yunus, 84, has served as the head of the caretaker government since a mass student-led uprising ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. However, escalating protests and growing demands from rival factions have deepened the political crisis in recent days.
According to an insider, Yunus expressed his intent to step down during a recent cabinet meeting, citing a lack of unified political backing. “He wanted to submit his resignation, but cabinet members convinced him to stay,” the source told AFP.
The capital, Dhaka, has witnessed ongoing street demonstrations as opposing parties voice clashing demands for governance and electoral reforms.
Nahid Islam, leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP) — a group formed by many of the students who led last year’s uprising — met with Yunus on Thursday, according to NCP senior official Ariful Islam Adeeb.
Yunus’s potential departure could further destabilize Bangladesh’s fragile political transition, as the country of 170 million prepares for long-delayed elections.
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