Dhaka, July 23:
The Chief Coordinator of Bangladesh’s National Citizens Party (NCP), Hasnat Abdullah, has demanded the resignation of interim government Health Advisor Nurjahan Begum, accusing her of nepotism and favoring her close ties with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. Speaking at a public rally in Chandpur district on Wednesday, Abdullah called Begum a “product of nepotism” and demanded that she return her salary and allowances.
“She came in through the ‘brotherhood quota’ of Yunus,” Abdullah said, adding, “She understands neither healthcare nor the medical system. Her only qualification is her connection with Grameen Bank and her closeness to Yunus. Her appointment is a burden on the taxpayers.”
He further criticized her for seeking medical treatment in Singapore while allegedly failing to contribute meaningfully to the country’s healthcare sector. “She should resign immediately and deposit her salary and perks into the state treasury,” Abdullah said.
The remarks came in the wake of Monday’s tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI training aircraft in Dhaka, which claimed 32 lives, including several children, and left over 165 injured. The incident has intensified public anger and protests against the interim administration led by Yunus.
Following the crash, student-led protests erupted at the crash site and outside the Secretariat in Dhaka, demanding the resignations of the interim government’s Education Advisor, Education Secretary, and Yunus’s Press Secretary. Protesters accused officials of providing false information about the crash and demanded transparency in the casualty list and compensation details for victims’ families.
They also called for an immediate halt to the use of outdated, unsafe training aircraft by the Bangladesh Air Force. The unrest signals growing public frustration with the interim leadership, which once enjoyed broad support but is now facing credibility challenges.
