Bangladesh On Brink Of Military Coup? Army Issues Ultimatum To Interim Leader Yunus

General Waqar has made it clear that the Army will only now only report to an elected government.

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New Delhi: A coup in Bangladesh appears imminent, as interim leader Muhammad Yunus refuses to step down or hold early elections. Yunus, who has been running the interim government, reportedly has no intention of conducting elections anytime soon. However, Army Chief General Waqar Uz Zaman has issued a final ultimatum – warning Yunus that national elections must be held before December.

General Waqar has reportedly made it clear that after this point, the Army will only recognise and report to an elected government. If Yunus refuses to comply, the military is likely to remove him and push for elections by December 2025. These developments strongly indicate that Bangladesh is once again edging toward a military-backed power shift.

Reports, quoting top intelligence sources say that General Waqar firmly believes that only an elected government should make strategic decisions, not unelected, imposed figures like Yunus. The Army chief considers the current civilian-led structure under Yunus to be a threat to national security, especially with civilians trying to use the military for non-military governance.

Anger Over U.S.-Backed Appointments

Tensions escalated when Yunus appointed a new National Security Advisor, reportedly pro-American, during the absence of the Army chief. This move has further angered the military.

In addition, the Army has strongly opposed Yunus’s proposals regarding a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine State and the introduction of foreign management at Chattogram (Chittagong) Port.

Reports claim that the military has effectively rejected both the humanitarian corridor project and the idea of foreign control over the strategic port.

What’s the Army’s Plan?

General Waqar is now advocating for elections in December 2025. He supports the idea of forming a coalition government involving a new faction from both the Opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.

He reportedly has no objections to a coalition and sees it as a viable path forward. This stance aligns with BNP’s longstanding demand for elections by December.

Even Jamaat Turns Away

Yunus is reportedly now seeking support from the Jamaat-e-Islami. However, even Jamaat appears to have distanced itself, agreeing that only an elected government can serve the country’s interests.

The chief advisor is rapidly losing both political and military support. With no reliable political backing left and growing dissatisfaction within the armed forces, the reports suggest Yunus’s grip on power is weakening fast.

Jamaat, too, has made it clear that it prefers participating in elections under a democratically elected regime.