Coup in Bangladesh? Muhammad Yunus to address nation tonight as tension rises in Dhaka

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s Interim Government, will address the nation at 7:00 pm today on the occasion of Independence Day and Eid-ul-Fitr, The Daily Star reported on Tuesday. The address comes amid intensifying speculation of a possible military takeover.

Yunus, who was appointed on August 8 following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, faces rising tensions within the political and military establishment. His speech tonight comes amid reports that the Bangladesh Army may pressure the President to declare a state of emergency or remove Yunus altogether.

India Today earlier reported that Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman convened a high-level emergency meeting on Monday with five Lieutenant Generals, eight Major Generals, and other top brass. Discussions reportedly centred around the army stepping in to “restore stability” and possibly forming a national unity government under its oversight.

In response to the speculation, General Waker on Tuesday dismissed talk of emergency. “Do not react to provocation. We must stay focused on our duty to support the country's stability,” he said in an address at Dhaka Cantonment, urging his officers to avoid misinformation and carry out their responsibilities with “wisdom.”

Tensions have also escalated on the streets. On March 22, PTI reported that the army intensified patrols across Dhaka following mass rallies by the National Citizen Party (NCP), which was formed by former leaders of the student-led movement that toppled Hasina’s regime. The NCP accused the military of attempting to reintegrate the ousted Awami League into the political landscape.

NCP convener Hasnat Abdullah alleged that the army pitched a proposal to create a “refined Awami League” during a March 11 meeting at the cantonment. He warned that “no interference in the political landscape from the cantonment will be accepted” and labelled the proposal a conspiracy “at the behest of India.”

Since taking charge, Yunus has appointed several former student leaders from the SAD (Students Against Discrimination) movement to advisory positions. One of them, Asif Mahmud, recently alleged that the army was never fully on board with Yunus’s leadership, referencing discussions at the Bangabhaban presidential palace after Hasina’s ouster.

Former PM Sheikh Hasina has been in India since August 5, and several of her ministers remain jailed or absconding under charges of mass murder and rights violations. Yunus, long at odds with her government, returned to Dhaka from Paris at SAD’s request and assumed leadership. With Yunus also set to visit China soon, his address tonight is expected to be closely watched across the region.