The Bangladesh National Party swept the parliamentary election, with Tarique Rahman likely to become the next prime minister.
Meanwhile, the results also mark a turning point for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who led the country as chief adviser of the interim government after the 2024 uprising that removed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from power.
Yunus has repeatedly maintained that he is a caretaker, not a political contender.
With a new elected government set to take charge, attention has shifted to what lies ahead for the man who guided Bangladesh through a turbulent political transition.
Is His Role Coming To An End?
Yunus who took role in the office in August 2024 after a student-led uprising forced Hasina from power. Yunus was invited by protesting leaders. He returned from abroad to head an interim administration, which was tasked to restore stability and conduct credible elections.
According to a Times of India report, throughout his tenure, Yunus insisted he had "no desire to be part of the next elected government", stressing that his responsibility was limited to ensuring a peaceful and fair transition.
With the BNP's victory and Bangladesh Election Commission initiating the formal notification for the new government, Yunus will likely step aside once constitutional procedures are completed.
However, analysts quoted by the TOI believe that Yunus is unlikely to disappear entirely from public life.
Speaking to the newspaper, professor Rajan Kumar of Jawaharlal Nehru University stated that Yunus might continue in an advisory capacity, formally or informally, particularly in economic matters, and is unlikely to face political pressure under a BNP-led administration.
What Reforms Did Yunus Undertake?
During his tenure as the adviser, Yunus did more than oversee elections. He described Bangladesh's political system as “completely broken” and proposed a reform charter aimed at preventing a return to one-party dominance.
Key proposals include two-term limits for prime ministers, stronger judicial independence, greater representation for women, neutral interim governments during elections, and the creation of a second parliamentary chamber.
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