BIG trouble for anti-India Yunus as ally party corners him over…, says radical groups must…

Bangladesh violence: In a major setback for Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which had supported him during anti-Sheikh Hasina protests, has expressed concern over the surge in mob violence and the rampant rise of radical right-wing groups in the country.

What did BNP say?

The BNP, who was the main rival of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, has warned the Yunus-led interim government that mob violence has emerged as the most serious threat to the country’s already deteriorating law and order, and voiced its concern over the rise of right-wing fundamentalism in Bangladesh.

BNP General Secretary Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that the disturbing trend of mob attacks by radical Islamist groups would cause long-term damage to Bangladesh, as expressed concern over the growing attacks on women and minorities. “These are contrary to BNP’s vision of building an inclusive, liberal and democratic society. These forces have become very strong under the Yunus government,” the BNP leader said, according to a Business Standard report.

Alamgir’s remarks came a day after a fresh round of violence in Bangladesh, as the office of a political party allied to ousted OM Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, was vandalized and torched by “miscreants”, while the corpse of a revered Sufi saint was desecrated and set afire in another incident.

Why BNP’s opposition could spell trouble for Yunus regime?

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who was the main rival of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, had openly supported Muhammad Yunus following ouster of the Hasina regime in August last year. The BNP emerged as the country’s largest political party after the fall of Awami League, and had reportedly played a key role in the student protests that snowballed into an anti-regime movement, leading to the fall of Sheikh Hasina.

Notably, the BNP is often considered a right-leaning party, but has expressed displeasure with how the Yunus regime has allegedly given a ‘free hand’ to hardline Islamist groups.

Bangladesh violence

Following the ouster of the Awami League government in August last year, and an interim regime led by Muhammad Yunus coming to the helm in Dhaka, Bangladesh has been engulfed by mob violence, especially against groups and individuals who supported deposed PM Sheikh Hasina.

Over 80 percent Bangladeshi citizens have expressed concern over the surging mob violence in the country, according to a nationwide survey conducted last month by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development and Voice for Reform.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expressed concern over surging incidents of mob violence and rise of extremist groups in the country.
  • The BNP had supported Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.
  • The party warned that right-wing fundamentalism and mob violence would cause long-lasting damage to Bangladesh.
  • Over 80 percent Bangladeshi citizens have expressed concern over the surging mob violence.

Meanwhile, in August alone, at least 25 people were killed in 38 mob lynching incidents across Bangladesh, as per the Human Rights Support Society.

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