Yunus to Continue as Bangladesh Interim Government Chief

The statement said despite all obstacles, the interim government continued to fulfill its responsibilities by prioritizing national interests

- Press Trust of India

DHAKA: Muhammad Yunus will remain as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, an adviser in his cabinet said, on Saturday, two days after a key ally said he had mulled resignation.

"He (Yunus) didn't say he will leave. He said that while we face many obstacles in carrying out the work and responsibilities assigned to us, we are overcoming them," Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud told reporters after an unscheduled meeting of the advisory council.

"He (Yunus) is definitely staying," Mahmud said.

He said none of the advisers were going anywhere as "the responsibility entrusted to us is a significant one; we cannot abandon this duty". The chief adviser's decision to stay in office came two days after he told student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders that he was mulling resignation as he felt "the situation is such that he cannot work", citing difficulties in working amid the failure of political parties to find common ground for change.

Yunus reportedly expressed an identical desire to quit in a cabinet meeting earlier, on Thursday, where his colleagues persuaded him not to relinquish.