The interim government, led by Nobel laureate and Chief Administrator Muhammad Yunus, was formed to guide Bangladesh towards democracy from the turmoil that followed the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, after almost 10 months in power, the Yunus administration has demonstrably failed to fulfil this mandate, with the country descending into further chaos and uncertainty. Growing public protests clearly indicate that the interim government is losing the faith of ordinary Bangladeshis.

One of the main criticisms levelled against the Yunus administration is its postponement of the general elections. Even after almost 10 months, the caretaker government remains hesitant to call fresh elections, stating that they will be held between December of this year and June of next year, only after implementing reforms. While the administration speaks of holding polls within this timeframe, indications suggest a reluctance to hold them by December. This was further evidenced by Yunus’s recent visit to Japan, during which he criticised the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a prominent political party, for being the only one demanding elections by December. Although he did not name the party, it was clear he was referring to the BNP, which has recently advocated for December elections.

Yunus’s assertion was factually incorrect. Several other parties, including the Gono Forum, a centre-left party, the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), primarily composed of leftist parties, and the 12-Party Alliance, comprising centre-right to right-wing Islamist parties, have also demanded elections by........

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