Interview: Why Bangladesh army is angry with Yunus and his interim government

Scroll’s political editor, Shoaib Daniyal, speaks with author and journalist Kallol Bhattacherjee about the chaotic situation in Bangladesh, almost a year after the July revolution that deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The two discuss why the timing of elections in Bangladesh has become a political hot potato, with the Bangladesh Army as well as political parties pressuring the head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, to announce polls as soon as possible.

Yunus, however, does not seem keen and is instead speaking of reforms, even as he backs a new student-led party. All of this is happening as both the United States and China make moves to expand their strategic and military footprint in Bangladesh.

On the question of New Delhi’s relations with Dhaka, Bhattacherjee says India has regained some of its influence within Bangladesh thanks to support from opposition parties like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. However, India would have to work harder to build back broken trade and connectivity links....

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