Bangladesh crisis: Muhammad Yunus-led interim govt to be sworn in today

Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh for four terms and was re-elected for a fifth, left the country on Monday amid escalating protests across the nation

Bangladesh is set to welcome a new interim government under the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus on Thursday. This transition follows weeks of intense student protests that led to the resignation and departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

At 84, Yunus, Bangladesh’s sole Nobel Prize recipient, has been selected for this role by the same student protesters who led the movement against Sheikh Hasina. Known globally as the ‘banker to the poor’ for his pioneering work in microfinance, Yunus is set to be sworn in as chief advisor along with his advisory team later today. He will be arriving in Dhaka from Paris, where he has been receiving medical treatment.

At Paris, Yunus said, “I’m looking forward to going back home and seeing what’s happening there and how we can organise ourselves to get out of the trouble we are in.” His return comes after Sheikh Hasina’s exit, which incited both celebration and violence, with crowds storming and ransacking the former PM’s residence. Sheikh Hasina has since sought refuge in India.

On Wednesday, the Yunus Centre, founded by Yunus, issued a statement praising the students who significantly contributed to the success of the Second Victory Day. The think tank also called on the public to refrain from violence.

In a statement, it said, “I congratulate the brave students who took the lead in making our Second Victory Day possible and to the people for giving your total support to them. Let us make the best use of our new victory. Let us not let this slip away because of our mistakes. I fervently appeal to everybody to stay calm. Please refrain from all kinds of violence. I appeal to all students, members of all political parties and non-political people to stay calm.”
 

Hasina, who governed Bangladesh for four terms and was re-elected for a fifth, fled amid a wave of protests initially sparked by job quota issues but intensified by economic challenges and political repression. The protests, characterised by clashes with security forces and attacks on Sheikh Hasina’s supporters, have led to over 250 deaths and widespread unrest.

Yunus’s appointment, quickly approved by military and government authorities, follows his recent acquittal from a politically charged labour conviction. The interim government under his leadership is expected to conduct elections within the next few months. The military and government have already taken steps to meet some of the protesters’ demands by dissolving Parliament, removing the police chief, and freeing political prisoners.

[With agency inputs]