‘Kept me in the dark’: Bangladesh President accuses Yunus of overthrow bid

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has accused former chief adviser Muhammad Yunus of undermining the presidency and violating constitutional protocol by failing to keep him informed about crucial state matters.

In an interview with Bengali daily Kaler Kantho, Shahabuddin alleged that Yunus did not brief him on foreign visits, international agreements, or major policy decisions during the tenure of the interim government.

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“The Constitution says that whenever he goes on a foreign visit, he must meet the President after returning and inform me in writing about the discussions and outcomes. He travelled abroad 14 to 15 times but did not inform me even once,” Shahabuddin said.

He further claimed that he was not informed about a recent tariff agreement between Bangladesh and the United States. “I knew nothing about it. Such a state agreement must be communicated to the President. That is a constitutional obligation. But he neither informed me verbally nor in writing,” he added.

Bid to remove him from office

The President expressed feeling “humiliated” by actions taken by the interim administration, including the removal of his press department and portraits from Bangladeshi embassies worldwide.

According to Shahabuddin, there were also attempts to remove him from office under pressure from certain leaders of a mass uprising.

The President alleged that the interim government attempted to appoint a former chief justice as President, but he declined the offer, stating that the presidency is the highest constitutional office and could not be assumed in an unconstitutional manner.

Support from BNP, military

He claimed that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) stood firmly beside him during that period. Referring to BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, Shahabuddin said he had initially been curious about him but later found him to be “a genuine person” who extended full support during difficult times.

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Shahabuddin said he also received unconditional support from the heads of the three wings of the military. He quoted them as saying, “Your Excellency, you are the head of the armed forces. Your defeat means the defeat of the entire armed forces. We will prevent this at any cost.”

‘Foreign engagements blocked’

Shahabuddin further claimed that his foreign engagements were blocked without consultation and that efforts were made to keep him away from the public eye.

He alleged that he was asked to sign a letter drafted by the government declining an invitation from Qatar. Instead, he sent a counter-letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemning what he described as unethical conduct and sought assurances that such incidents would not recur. He, however, received no response.

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Despite the tensions, Shahabuddin stated that he chose to remain in office to “maintain constitutional continuity” in Bangladesh.