Dhaka power struggle: Scores level for Yunus, Waker so far; who’ll blink first?

The course Bangladesh’s politics will take in the days to come will be greatly influenced by who blinks first in the ongoing battle of one-upmanship between Chief Adviser (CA) to the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

The battle, as of now, is evenly poised, with both sides trying to size up each other with their respective opening gambit.

A counter-attack by Yunus

Recovering from the initial jolt it got after Zaman on May 21 drew a red line for his interim government, Yunus on Saturday (May 24) went on a counter-attack by declaring any attempt to stonewall his regime’s avowed plans will be dealt with the people’s backing.

“The council discussed how unreasonable demands, deliberately provocative and jurisdictionally overreaching statements, and disruptive programmes have been continuously obstructing the normal functioning environment and creating confusion and suspicion among the public,” the advisory council said in a statement issued after an unscheduled meeting on Saturday evening.

“Despite all obstacles, the interim government continues to fulfil its responsibilities by putting national interests above group interests. However, if — under the instigation of defeated forces or as part of a foreign conspiracy — the performance of these responsibilities becomes impossible, the government will present all reasons to the public and then take the necessary steps with the people,” the statement added.

Also read: Bangladesh: BNP asks Yunus to hold polls by Dec, reform his Cabinet

Yunus makes intent clear

The two-hour-long meeting presided by Yunus further underscored the three prime responsibilities of the government. They are elections, reforms, and trials.

The intent is clear. This government will try to stick to power as long as it takes to accomplish the three duties.

“We’re not going anywhere until our job is done,” Bangladesh media quoted planning adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud as saying after emerging from the meeting.

This has put to rest speculation about the possible resignation of Yunus. More significantly, the declaration bears tacit hints that elections are not happening any time soon.

Army chief’s standpoint

Zaman, at the May 21 meeting with his top commanding officers, had set the December deadline for hustings. He firmly stated that elections must be held by December, and that only an elected government should determine the nation’s course—not an unelected administration.

The underlying message was clear. The only mandate of the current regime is to hold elections. Reforms and trials should be left to the government that will assume power through elections.

The timing of the election has been a major bone of contention between the army chief and the Yunus-led caretaker administration.

The army general has been rightly insisting for a time-bound election. No time frame has been given by the Yunus government as to how long it will take to complete the reform and trial process. The legal trial particularly is a lengthy process and could linger for years.

Also read: Yunus never spoke of resigning, says Bangladesh's planning adviser

A rally in support of Yunus

Though the government is evasive about the duration it has in mind for completing its self-assigned threesome responsibilities, votaries of Yunus are bent on at least a five-year tenure for him at the helm.

The “March for Yunus” rally his supporters took out in Dhaka on Saturday (May 24) reiterated the need for a five-year term for him. This was not any ordinary random march. Many believe it was orchestrated by the government itself as a show of strength.

So far so good for Yunus. But the battle is not yet won.

BNP supports, but with riders

The chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam, in a late-night briefing, told the media that Yunus got the support of all the three major parties, viz. the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the nascent National Citizen Party (NCP) formed by the vanguards of student-led uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August last year. The parties had sperate meetings with Yunus last night.

There is a catch. The BNP’s support clearly has an expiry date. In a meeting with Yunus last night, the party categorically stated that the next general election should be held by December and the government should immediately announce a roadmap for that.

In that regard, the BNP and the army chief are on the same page. Together, they would be too formidable an opponent for the Yunus government, more so when its public image has taken a severe hit in the past months due to growing lawlessness, price rise and overall governance deficiencies.

Also read: Bangladesh: Yunus should be imprisoned for life, says Taslima Nasreen

A tightrope walk for rivals

If the BNP and the army chief stick to their demand, Yunus will have no other way but to make an exit after conducting elections by the end of this year.

To prolong its stay, the government will try to utilise the time till December to marginalise Zaman. Sources in Bangladesh say Zaman’s recent ultimatum to the government came in response to the latter’s attempt to remove him and appoint a new Chief of Army Staff.

The coming days will be a tight-rope walk for Zaman, as well as for Yunus.