In a strongly worded critique, exiled former Foreign Minister Prof. Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen has predicted that interim government head Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be compelled to step down amid mounting domestic chaos and international pressure, paving the way for a neutral caretaker government to oversee free and fair elections with full participation of the banned Awami League.
In this third instalment of the exclusive interview with The Daily Republic, freedom fighter Prof. Momen said that Yunus has created total lawlessness and anarchy in the country by releasing extremists and encouraging them to let loose a reign of terror and mob violence.
He accused the interim government of fostering “mobocracy, the rise of jihadi extremism, and gross violations of human rights.” He highlighted the release of convicted terrorists from jails following the July 2024 regime change, alleging that this policy has emboldened extremist groups to unleash widespread violence.
“The Yunus administration, in order to wipe out AL supporters, released all the convicted terrorists, overlooked their stealing of government weapons, and encouraged jihadis to let loose a reign of terror and mob violence,” Prof. Momen said. He claimed this has led to “total lawlessness and anarchy,” with thousands of police officers killed, 460 police stations destroyed, and a sharp decline in law enforcement morale after indemnity was granted to attackers.
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Prof. Momen pointed to alarming statistics, stating that extrajudicial killings have surged 400% since August 2024, with nearly 6,700 people lynched by mobsโfigures that echo independent reports documenting hundreds of mob-related deaths amid post-uprising unrest. He also cited recent attacks on media outlets, alleging that jihadi groups burned down two major newspapers after they published polls suggesting the AL could secure nearly 69% of votes if allowed to contest.
On the prospects for the upcoming February 2026 electionsโcurrently planned under the Yunus-led interim governmentโProf. Momen argued that holding polls without the AL would be a “sham.” He noted that the party’s support base has risen to 65-70% due to public disillusionment with the current administration’s performance, warning that excluding such a large segment of voters would undermine legitimacy and stability, drawing parallels to the low-turnout 1996 election that lasted only days.
“Already, 26 political parties have expressed they would boycott this farce and doctored election,” he added, emphasising that international calls from human rights organisations, the UN, US, and UK lawmakers for an inclusive process are growing.
Prof. Momen expressed deep concern over the “rapid rise of extremism” since 2024, linking it to alleged ties with Pakistani authorities and groups like Jamaat-e-Islami. He warned of potential regional spillover, urging democratic nations to push for a “free, fair, transparent, and all-inclusive election” as a foreign policy measure. This includes lifting bans on political parties, releasing political prisoners and journalists, and ensuring independence for the judiciary and media, which he claimed are currently “under threat by Yunusโ jihadi goons.”
Despite his favourable global image as the “banker to the poor,” Prof. Momen criticised Dr. Yunus’s longstanding PR efforts, asserting that recent policies of “vengeance and propaganda” have eroded support and fueled anarchy.
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