Students ready to form a political party: Yunus tells Financial Times

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said students are organising across the country and are ready now to form a political party.

He made the remarks while talking to Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times in an interview.

Yunus spoke on the podcast, "Rachman Review", hosted by the British daily's chief foreign affairs commentator during his recent visit to Davos, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The transcript of the conversation was published on FT.com on Thursday.

Asked about the ongoing debate regarding the date and time for holding the national election, Yunus said the two possible election timings he had suggested were good options.

On December 16, 2024, during his Victory Day speech to the nation, the chief adviser said it may be possible to hold the next general election at the end of 2025 or in the first half of 2026.

Pressing Yunus further about the election issue, Rachman said, while holding elections quickly after a conflict may seem beneficial for establishing democracy, it can be risky. Sometimes it is better to take time to ensure the country is more unified and stable before holding elections.

"We were talking to Syrians. They have the same issue. Do they have elections? And some people said, in theory it's great to have elections quickly. But actually in the Syrian case, big mistake. Don't do it too fast. It can just split the country if you do it too quickly," Rachman said.

In reply Yunus said, this is a good time to protect national unity and he does not want to deviate from that.

One possibility is for students to form their own party, he said.

"Initially, I included three students in my cabinet, believing that if they can sacrifice for the country, they can also help govern it. They have been doing good work," he said.

"Now, students are considering forming their own political party," he added.

Critics say they won't win a single seat in parliament because they are unknown, he said. He argued that the whole nation knows them and they should be given a chance to pursue their goals."

There's a risk that in forming a party, the students might fall apart due to political interference. It's uncertain if they can distance themselves from the existing political landscape. However, this is a chance worth taking. The students are ready, campaigning, and organising nationwide, he added.

Rachman asked some Indians argue that Bangladesh is fragile and at risk of being taken over by Islamists. "What is your response to this concern?"

In response, Yunus said, "We don't see such signs. At least I don't see any such signs."

Young people are genuinely committed and have no personal ambitions for political careers, he said, adding that they are forming or joining political parties to protect the achievements they have fought for.

Without their involvement, Yunus said, opportunists might revert to previous administrations.

"That's our political kind of environment in Bangladesh. They are trying to protect that. So, I would say students will have transparent intentions," he added.

Click here for the full interview.