What's behind coup rumors in Bangladesh?
What's the story
Bangladesh is currently abuzz with speculation over a possible coup against Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Rumors gained momentum after reports that General Wakar Uz Zaman, the country's military chief, has called for Yunus's removal.
The information comes from an Indian outlet that reported on an "emergency meeting" held by the army on Monday, which hinted at "potential major developments in the coming days."
Public address
Yunus urges public not to heed coup rumors
In a televised address across the country on Tuesday (March 26), the eve of Bangladesh's 53rd Independence Day, Yunus urged citizens not to be swayed by these rumors.
He called it a "festival of rumors" and accused certain parties of attempting to destabilize the country through misinformation.
"Since the interim government took office, there has been a festival of rumors in media and social media," he said.
Military meeting
Speculation about military intervention in Bangladesh
Speculation of a coup was fueled by an Indian outlet's report, which said that the army may pressure President Mohammed Shahabuddin to declare a state of emergency or stage a coup against Yunus.
It claimed that the army was also mulling over the idea of forming a national unity government under its oversight.
The presence of Bangladeshi army units in Dhaka further intensified the rumors.
Denial
Yunus and army deny coup rumors
In response to the swirling rumors, Yunus stated that these rumors are being spread in "all sorts of innovative ways."
The Bangladesh army also dismissed reports of orchestrating a coup, calling the news report "false and fabricated information."
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement condemning the media outlet for spreading sensationalist narratives without proper verification.
Call for unity
Yunus calls for unity amid rising tensions
Yunus urged Bangladeshis to fight these rumors with awareness and solidarity.
He also appealed to the United Nations (UN) to help stop the dissemination of misinformation.
"We have sought the cooperation of the United Nations to prevent the propagation of these rumors and false theories. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has assured us of his cooperation in dealing with it," he said.