In an exclusive interview with Nikkei, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus took a resolute stance on his role in reforming his country and steering it to its next election: "Whatever it is you want to change, people resist." (Photo by Yuki Kohara)

Bangladesh's Yunus walks reform tightrope in eye of trade, domestic storms

Interim leader faces Trump tariffs, calls for early election, wage protests

TAMAYO MUTO

June 7, 2025 06:00 JST

TOKYO -- At 84, micro-lending guru Prof. Muhammad Yunus has accumulated international tributes and media accolades galore, from the Nobel Peace Prize for his work promoting grassroots community development to U.S. late-night talk show appearances -- and even a cameo on "The Simpsons."

In his latest guise as interim leader of Bangladesh since last August, however, he has garnered fierce criticism over his stewardship, which is spilling over into street protests. The task facing Yunus, a political independent, is to steer his country from the ruins of the regime of former leader Sheikh Hasina to new elections. Hasina fled to India after a wave of deadly student-led demonstrations and corruption allegations.