Staff Correspondent:

Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud has dismissed speculation about the resignation of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, saying the Chief Adviser is not stepping down.

“The Chief Adviser is not going anywhere. He never said he would resign. He is certainly staying. We have been entrusted with significant responsibilities and cannot simply walk away,” he said.

The adviser made the remarks following a closed-door meeting of the Advisory Council, held at the NEC Conference Room in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Saturday.

The meeting began around 12:20 pm, shortly after the weekly ECNEC meeting. It was presided over by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and attended by 19 advisers. No one other than the advisers was allowed to attend the meeting.

On Thursday (22 May), Chief Adviser Professor Yunus expressed his thoughts about resignation during an unscheduled meeting with other advisers. He conveyed frustration and disappointment, saying that his government was unable to function due to obstacles from various quarters and the lack of cooperation from political parties.

The matter was revealed to the media by Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), who had met the Chief Adviser on Thursday evening.

Following the news, all sides have urged the Chief Adviser not to resign.