Yunus Govt Instigating Extremists, Hadi's Murder a Ploy: Ex-Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury

• Former minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury claims Bangladesh is "tense and unstable," alleging the interim Yunus government instigates extremist groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jamaat-e-Islami to maintain power and postpone elections.
• Chowdhury suggests the murder of Inquilab Manch leader Sharif Usman Hadi was a premeditated act, possibly by those close to him or even the government, to create a martyr and instigate social instability.
• He dismisses widespread anti-India sentiment, stating protests are "staged," limited to Dhaka and Chittagong, and often involve forced participation of madrasa students, not ordinary citizens.
• The former minister believes Hadi's death benefits a group seeking to prolong instability, potentially delaying elections until after Ramadan and the monsoon season, allowing Yunus to remain in power or prepare a successor.
• Chowdhury highlights that ordinary Bangladeshis do not support these extremists, emphasizing a strong Bengali ethnic identity over a purely religion-based one, and notes continued demand for Indian visas.

Why It Matters: Bangladesh faces political instability; Yunus government accused of instigating extremism and manipulating Hadi's murder.