Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus vowed to restore democracy in Bangladesh and ensure credible elections, stating that there is no point in holding elections if they are not legitimate.
He made the remarks during an interview with CNA in Kuala Lumpur, where he was on an official visit to Malaysia.
“There’s no point in having elections if they’re not legitimate. My job is to make sure that an acceptable, clean, and enjoyable election takes place,” Yunus said.
“We are coming close to achieving the goals we set for ourselves. Many reforms were needed because the political system we had was rigged, misused, and abused,” he added.
Last July, student-led protests demanding the resignation of long-serving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina escalated into deadly clashes with security forces and Awami League supporters. The uprising ended Hasina’s 15-year rule, which had been marred by allegations of authoritarianism, widespread corruption, human rights violations, and a brutal crackdown on dissent.
Following her ouster in August, Hasina fled to neighbouring India and has been put on trial in absentia. She faces multiple charges, including ordering the crackdown that killed more than 1,000 people. Ties between Bangladesh and India have since been strained, with Dhaka seeking her return, while India has yet to respond to the extradition requests. Bangladesh has also urged New Delhi to prevent Hasina from making “false and fabricated” statements after she encouraged her supporters online to resist the interim government.
“(Modi) explained that (India) could not control social media,” Yunus told CNA, referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We are not going to get into a battle trying to get Hasina out of India. We said, ‘You can keep her. Our trial will go on,’” he added.
“But in the meantime, she should not be given any chance to destabilise Bangladesh. She still has many followers within the country who may try to repeat what they did before to destabilise the nation.”
Under Hasina, Bangladesh maintained close strategic and economic ties with India. However, observers say the interim government has recalibrated its regional alliances away from New Delhi. Yunus made a landmark visit to Beijing in March, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and highlighting Bangladesh’s strategic location as China’s gateway to South Asia.
He defended his government’s approach, emphasizing that decisions are economically driven and that Bangladesh is open to working with any investor.
“We have good relationships with Pakistan and China, and we would also like to have a good relationship with India,” he said.
“This is about investment opportunities, not something special for China. It’s offered equally to India and anyone else who wants to take advantage of it. It’s just a fair game in business.”
The Nobel Peace laureate, who assumed the role following the revolution, said he was initially reluctant to take on the responsibility as de facto prime minister.
“The student leaders pleaded with me, saying so much blood has been shed … that really moved me. After their sacrifices, I felt I should do something myself. So, I accepted the job,” he recalled.
The 85-year-old also stated that he does not plan to remain in government after the elections. He hopes his leadership will leave a lasting legacy.
“I would hope that from now on, Bangladesh will stay on the right track and not be derailed again,” he said.
“Our voters haven’t been able to vote for the last 15 years. Young people should pour their votes and aspirations into the ballot boxes. I hope this leads to a good government that follows democratic principles.”
Yunus spoke to CNA in Kuala Lumpur during his three-day official visit, where he met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. During his trip, Bangladesh and Malaysia signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), covering defence cooperation, education, and collaboration in the supply and infrastructure of liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, and related facilities.