Can Bangladesh’s Yunus overcome legacy of Sheikh Hasina’s rule and deliver reform promises?

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, must rebuild the nation after Sheikh Hasina’s regime was overthrown, while dealing with resistance from her supporters

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Nobel laureate and chief adviser of Bangladesh’s new interim government, Muhammad Yunus greets the public after laying a wreath at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Dhaka on August 9, 2024. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:35pm, 19 Feb 2025Updated: 6:23pm, 19 Feb 2025

Since taking over from toppled leader Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s interim government has faced numerous challenges, from rising inflation to delays in implementing crucial reforms across the judiciary, political system and economy, primarily due to ongoing law and order issues. Additionally, there is growing concern of the ousted Awami League regrouping.

Meanwhile, a date for the temporary government’s promised elections remains undetermined, seeding doubt and anxiety among a frustrated public.

In the gap, experts and insiders warned that those who flourished under Hasina’s venal 15-year regime were weighing a comeback.

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told This Week in Asia that a faction of the civil service was working to sabotage the reform agenda of Muhammad Yunus, the nation’s interim leader.

“For the past decade and a half, the system has thrived on keeping the Awami League in power,” the official said, citing Hasina’s political machine.

“Many were given unchecked authority, allowing them to engage in widespread corruption across ministries and departments. If you attempt to clean house completely, almost no one would be left.”