Earlier in February, when he decided to join politics, numbers of politicians, civil society members and cross section of professionals had welcomed his move.

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, who returned home from Singapore on Wednesday night, told The Daily Star that his party welcomed Dr Yunus when he had decided to join politics. "Now he has stepped back from his decision. I think good sense has finally come over him even though it came in late."

Executive director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya said he was saddened by the decision of Dr Yunus not pursuing politics.

"We have always wanted clean and competent citizens join politics. Dr Yunus was an eminently suitable person. So, as a result of his decision, the nation will be deprived of his political contribution for the time being".

However, this decision not to pursue politics will allow him to make contribution in other areas of state, the society and the economy, Bhattacharya added.

Dr Muhammad Yunus was the right person who could endorse a competent and honest government -- a demand of the civil society. But his moves [toward the party] were not made in a democratic or well-planned manner, said Advocate Sultana Kamal, former adviser to the caretaker government.

Yunus' initiative had setbacks since it was individualistic rather than democratic. He also overlooked the democratic process and in his statements, it was not spelt out clearly why people should choose him, Sultana Kamal said.

We should be very careful about the demand of a competent and honest government and the civil society should come forward with the ideals, she pointed out.

Welcoming Dr Yunus for retreating from politics, BNP joint secretary-general Nazrul Islam Khan said as there has been lack of acceptability of opinions of leading personalities in the society due to their different political stand and deviation, Dr Yunus could fill the gap as an acceptable, learned and successful person admired all around the globe.

"He decided to retreat from politics the same way he had decided to join politics using his talents, experiences and judiciousness," he said.

Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers' Party of Bangladesh said Dr Yunus has finally taken "a wise decision.... I welcome him as he has finally realised appropriately that those who inspired him to join politics are no more with him," said Menon, a key leader of the AL-led 14-party alliance, adding that he either made wrong calculations or failed to understand the reality that led him to retreat from politics.

But he hoped that Dr Yunus would play a role of national guardian although he was controversial by wanting to join politics.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haque Inu was astounded and surprised at Dr Yunus' decision to retreat from politics.

"When he decided to join politics, we welcomed him and hoped that he could contribute positively in the politics of Bangladesh. But in the challenging arena of politics, he has taken a quick decision for which I am really surprised and astounded," said Inu, also a key leader of the AL-led 14-party alliance.

Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, adviser to the BNP chairperson, said it was a good decision because success in politics would be difficult without a strong political organisation.

"I hope he will contribute to the nation without being involved in politics as he is a highly renowned individual all over the world," he added.

Former Dhaka University Teachers' Association (Duta) President Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said Dr Yunus has taken a wise decision by retreating from politics and for this decision, the people of the country will consider him a pride of the nation.

"As a Nobel laureate, the people don't want to see him in shallow-minded politics. They want Dr Yunus to play important roles in different international forums as the voice of Bangladesh," said Prof Siddique, who among other Dhaka University (DU) teachers had opposed Dr Yunus be made a speaker at DU convocation this year after he decided to join politics.