Yunus has been an effective figurehead but needs to move faster to retain popular support: David Taylor

Former Dean of Humanities and Interim Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh's Chittagong talks to TOI about the forthcoming polls and the challenges in Dhaka's political transitionTen months down the line do you think that the Yunus government has been successful in carrying out key reforms as was demanded by the July-August protesters?Progress in carrying out key reforms has been slower than the protesters had hoped.

Yunus's strategy has been to try to create a consensus around a list of reforms, some of which will require major constitutional changes.

This consensus has not been easy to achieve, given the political divisions between the major parties as well as the expectations of the protesters. The dilemma that he faces is that to produce a well thought out programme of reform will take time, while the political parties that had lost out during the period of Awami League rule want to seize the moment to come to power.What is your opinion of how the interim govt has handled Islamic fundamentalism and the rise of the Jamiat's influence in the country?The evidence here is somewhat anecdotal and I don’t feel I have enough data to make an informed comment. The interim government has created space for the Jamaat by lifting the ban on its activities but it is too early to say whether it has been able to enlarge its support base. Nor is it clear how far the Jamaat is prepared to operate within the constitutional framework that the interim government puts in place.

How has the political climate impacted the welfare of minorities, especially Hindus? There have been reports of persecution of Hindu residents. As far as I can see, the reports of attacks on members of the Hindu minority are best seen as isolated, if worrisome, events rather than part of any concerted campaign. However, times of political uncertainty such as the present create conditions in which such attacks are more likely.Major political parties like BNP have demanded early elections preferably by December. The demand has now been endorsed by the army chief. Do you see the Yunus govt committing to the deadline of Dec 25-Jun 2026?This is the dilemma that Yunus and his colleagues face. The logic of democracy would call for early elections but the most likely beneficiary of early elections would be the BNP, which in many ways is part of the previous political system against which the students revolted.

The BNP had been the target of state repression under the Awami League, it’s true, but its approach to political power would most likely be very similar in its use of patronage and its vulnerability to corruption.How do you see the Bangladesh army's role in the current situation? It was initially criticized for having abandoned former PM Sheikh Hasina. As in Pakistan, the army has the power to intervene in politics either directly or indirectly. While it is clear that its decision not to back Sheikh Hasina’s violent crackdown on protesters was crucial in her downfall and that it preferred to bring in an interim government, it also seems plausible that it really does want to see fresh elections and a fresh start.

There are parallels here with its role in the 1990s upheavals in Bangladesh.Students in the country have metamorphosed from a group of protestors to a political party. As a former Pro-VC do you think they have the capability and capacity to meet the aspirations of the people? Students in many countries have taken the lead in protesting against autocratic regimes but the next step of creating a permanent voice in politics is often very difficult. In Bangladesh the National Citizen Party represents the view of an important section of the student movement but it is likely to find it difficult to sustain a sufficiently high level of support to win power.As someone who was teaching and mentoring women students till recently what is your opinion of women's freedoms in Bangladesh? Are they more free now than before?I don’t see a major shift in the position of women in Bangladesh. Economic development over the last few decades has created new opportunities for women from all socio-economic classes but there have been only gradual changes to social expectations of women’s roles except among small sections of the middle and upper class.You have studied civil society in south Asia closely. Chief advisor Yunus was very successful at groundbreaking volunteer work and creating the SHG system in Bangladesh that has been lauded by the world. Do you think his transition as a politician has been as successful? Muhammad Yunus has been an effective figurehead for a process of political transition but needs to move faster if he is to maintain popular support.Do you think elections can be inclusive and fair when one of the major political parties has been banned?There’s huge public feeling in favour of banning the Awami League, given the experience of the July/August 2024 movement and the use of state violence against it, but there’s also a significant residual support for the party as well. If it can’t participate, it may shore up trouble for the future.