Barton also noted that Yunus faces mounting pressure to maintain stability ahead of elections.
Yunus, while popular, is “on a tightrope”, he said. “If he comes out too strongly against the verdict, people will turn on him. If he hangs on stubbornly and refuses to allow the Awami League in any form to contest the elections, that’s very high risk as well.”
At the same time, the Awami League’s members have been “bellicose in their statements”, Barton said. “So, the risk is there of major violence igniting, and certainly to the point where elections can’t be held, or the results are not received.”
To add to this, Bangladesh’s vital garment industry, the world’s second largest, is suffering from trade tariffs and waning investor confidence.
Barton stressed that confidence and public trust are central to Bangladesh’s economic stability.
“The key now is to avoid protests and violent protests, particularly on the streets, and to give everyone a sense that Bangladesh is finding its way through.”