Page 12 - Muhammad Yunus

Bangladesh interim govt warns of legal action for creating instability

Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday warned that it would take legal action against anyone found creating instability in the country that is going through turmoil. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the warning in a circular and expressed concern over instability being created by forced resignations, vandalism, arson, illegal searches, looting and extortion by over-enthusiastic and vested quarters, The Daily Star newspaper reported. The circular said that to create instability, some quarters are putting pressure on the police to file cases and also attacking the accused in court. The government assured that a case filed does not mean random arrests will be made. "All these cases will be properly investigated and appropriate action will be taken," according to the circular. The government said it would identify all the miscreants and take legal action against them irrespective of party affiliation. Bangladesh witnessed massive student protests in mid-July over the controvers

With 5 new charges, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina faces 89 murder cases

Five new murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet minister for the killing of five people during the quota reform protests in the country, according to media reports. The cases, filed with Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday, were the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs. With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 89, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The five more murder cases have been filed against Hasina, party general secretary Obaidul Quader, and 339 others, in connection with the deaths of five people during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the Tribune reported. Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government

B'desh interim leader to present outline on reforms soon, says his aide

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus will soon come up with a comprehensive framework on reforms, including on the transition of power, after consulting all political parties, his special assistant has said. Nobel laureate Yunus, who was appointed Bangladesh's Chief Adviser after the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, on Saturday held a series of meetings with 35 political parties, including Jatiya Party, Gono Forum, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital. "The Chief Adviser exchanged views with political parties and talked about reforms (to be brought by the interim government) and their outline," Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency quoted his special assistant Mahfuj Alam as saying. On the outcomes of the meetings, Mahfuj Alam said the political leaders who joined meetings presented many reform proposals and "the chief adviser will present an outline on the reforms soon". He will mai

49 minority teachers in Bangladesh forced to resign since Aug 5: Report

At least 49 teachers belonging to minority communities were forced to resign in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to a minority organisation in the violence-hit nation. The Bangladesh Chhatra Oikya Parishad, the student wing of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, said this at a press conference on Saturday, The Daily Star newspaper reported. The organisation's coordinator, Sajib Sarkar, said in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster and fleeing of 76-year-old prime minister Hasina, minority teachers across the country faced physical assault, and at least 49 of them were forced to resign. However, 19 of them were reinstated later, the report quoted him as saying. Sarkar added that religious and ethnic minorities have also faced attacks, looting, assault on women, vandalism of temples, arson attacks on homes and businesses, and killings during this period. Bangladesh saw several incidents of

Insights and social preferences: What microfinance can teach economists

Mainstream economics has largely dismissed the insights from microfinance as folksy, feel-good anecdotes

Here's why Bangladesh's new govt can't afford to let chaos, extremism reign

Any expression of concern about Bangladesh's path causes some, particularly in the country's active and vocal diaspora, to fume

Over 1,000 killed during anti-govt protests in B'desh: Interim govt adviser

Over 1,000 people have been killed during the protests against the Sheikh Hasina-led government in Bangladesh while more than 400 were blinded by police fire, with some of them losing sight in one or both eyes, a top adviser of the interim government said on Thursday. Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum disclosed this during a visit to the Central Police Hospital in the capital's Rajarbagh where she interacted with the police personnel injured in clashes and spoke to those at the surgical department to ask about their condition. "So far 1,000 people have been killed and more than 400 students and members of the general public have lost their sight. Many have been blind in one eye, while others are blind in both," Nurjahan was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.com news portal. An anti-discrimination student movement against the government started in mid-July over a controversial quota system in jobs. The protests turned violent after crackdown by the forces. Several protesters were killed

Chief adviser Yunus can't delay B'desh election for too long, says BNP

The BNP wants to avoid a repeat of the past, where an army-controlled caretaker government in 2006 stayed beyond its mandated three months and delayed the voting by about two years

Bangladesh forms commission to identify victims of forced disappearance

Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday formed a commission to trace and identify victims of forced disappearance during deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's nearly 16-year regime, an official notification said. According to the notification, the five-member commission has been entrusted with the task of tracing and identifying the missing people and investigating the circumstances under which they were forcibly disappeared by various intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The commission comprised two retired High Court judges, two rights activists and a university teacher. The commission has been asked to investigate the cases of forced disappearance between January 1, 2010, and August 5, 2024, when Hasina's regime was ousted in a student-people mass upsurge. "In line with the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1965, the Commission will submit its report to the government in the next 45 working days, the Cabinet Division notification read. According to the notification, the polic

UN human rights watch tells Bangladesh interim govt to investigate abuses

This domestic mechanism should operate with UN support and oversight to ensure its independence and adherence to international human rights standards, the letter added

'We are equal citizens': Muhammad Yunus assures Bangladesh's Hindus

Addressing Bangladesh's Hindu leaders on the occasion of Janmashtami, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said that it was his interim government's responsibility to safeguard the rights of all citizens

Muhammad Yunus greets Hindus on Janmashtami, promises to promote harmony

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Monday met the country's Hindu community and vowed to promote interfaith harmony as he hosted a reception for them coinciding with Janmashtami. The minority Hindu population has faced vandalisation of their business and properties and devastation of Hindu temples in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5. "There can't be any divisions among people in our country. We are equal citizens. The interim government is determined to protect the rights of every citizen of the country," the chief adviser's (CA) office quoted Yunus as saying. According to the statement, Yunus expected to build Bangladesh where everyone can practice their faith without any fear and where no temple needs to be guarded. Bangladesh is a large family where the responsibility of the government is to protect the rights of every citizen, his office quoted him as saying on ..

Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League members placed on remand in murder cases

A court here on Saturday placed Salman F Rahman, private industry affairs adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni and two others on different terms of remand for interrogation in four murder cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jashim passed the orders in the cases, Daily Star Newspaper quoted a sub-inspector working in the court as saying. Apart from the three, former chief whip ASM Feroz and former army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan were also placed on remand in murder cases. Salman, Anisul and Ziaul were placed on a fresh 10-day remand in two murder cases filed with New Market and Lalbagh police stations. Dipu Moni was placed on a four-day remand in a case filed with Badda Police Station and Feroz was placed on a seven-day remand in a case filed Bhatara Police Station. Cases have been filed against many officials or ministers of the ousted Hasina-led government after she resigned and f

'Not feasible': ICC moves Women's T20 WC from strife-hit Bangladesh to UAE

The ICC on Tuesday moved the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE, saying it "wasn't feasible" to conduct the event there after governments of a number of participating countries advised against travelling to the unrest-hit nation. The event, which also features India and is scheduled to take place from October 3 to 20, will now be staged in Dubai and Sharjah with Bangladesh retaining the hosting rights, ensuring that it receives its share of revenue. "It is a shame not to be hosting the Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event," ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement which avoided any direct mention of the violence and tension in the South Asian nation. Allardice said the Bangladesh Cricket Board explored "all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted" there. "...but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn't

Bangladesh's Yunus to head foundation to be set up for violence victims

Bangladesh on Tuesday decided to set up a foundation to take care of the families of those killed and injured in the unprecedented student-led violent protests that ultimately led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Over 600 people, including 44 police personnel and at least 30 children, have been killed since the massive protest by students over a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in July. Hasina, 76, resigned and fled to India on August 5 following the massive protest by students against the controversial quota system. Yunus, 84, took oath as the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government on August 8. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will head the Foundation, which will include an Adviser of the Interim Government, student representatives, and the family members of the deceased and injured, the state-run news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sanstha (BSS), said quoting a press release from the Press Wing of Yunus' office. We can never forget the

Sheikh Hasina accused of genocide, faces International Crimes Tribunal case

Bangladesh's interim government has announced that it will prosecute those involved in killings during the mass student movement against Hasina in the ICT

Bangladesh's interim govt focused on improving law and order, says new NSA

A newly-appointed top Bangladeshi security official on Monday acknowledged that law and order is the main challenge for the interim government and said that the new administration is focused on improving the situation as quickly as possible. Talking to the media, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasised the urgency of addressing security concerns and outlined his dual responsibilities in both home affairs and agriculture. "Our main challenge at the Ministry of Home Affairs is law and order. We are focused on improving the situation as quickly as possible, Chowdhury, who was appointed on Friday, was quoted as saying by the UNB news. Within three days of his appointment, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain was replaced as home adviser in the interim government of Bangladesh by Lt Gen (retd) Chowdhury, amid criticism of the ex-army officer's conduct by student leaders, media reports on Saturday said. The law and order situation deteriorated in Banglades

Political analysts in Bangladesh urge India to refix ties with Dhaka

India will benefit if it supports the current transition in Bangladesh and moves to build relationships with other political parties instead of focussing on one person and party, several political analysts and foreign relation and security experts said on Sunday. After the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, took oath as the Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8 amid violence and chaos. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 after she was forced to resign following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs. I think understanding should be the starting point for resetting our relationship, having that we have our interdependence, so we need each other to recalibrate our relationship, head of the leading thinktank Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) Humayun Kabir told PTI. He said being Bangladesh's next-door neighbour, India was always with us when we are in difficulty and in the current transition a

Bangladesh interim govt committed to holding free and fair elections: Yunus

The caretaker government in Bangladesh is committed to ensuring a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy and creating an environment in which "free, fair and participatory elections" can be held, its head Mohammad Yunus assured the international community on Saturday. Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the interim government, said while addressing the third Voice of Global South Summit which was hosted by India in a virtual format. "You all are aware that Bangladesh witnessed a Second Revolution' on 5th August 2024, through a mass uprising spearheaded by our valiant students and joined by the masses," the 84-year-old Nobel laureate said, referring to the political turmoil in his country and the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5. Noting that the current interim government led by him was sworn in on August 8, Yunus said, "Our government is committed to ensuring a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy and creating an environment in which free, fair

Yunus expands his team as 4 more advisers join B'desh interim government

The interim government in Bangladesh led by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus was expanded on Friday with four more advisers joining his team. The new advisers are Wahiduddin Mahmud, an economist, Ali Imam Majumdar, former cabinet secretary, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, former power secretary, and Lt Gen Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. With these four, the strength of the members in the interim government's advisory council rose to 21. Yunus and 13 other advisers were sworn in on August 8, four days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government amid an uprising over government job quota reforms. Two advisers were sworn in on August 11 and one a day after. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oaths to the four new advisers at Bangabhaban, the seat of the government. Wahiduddin Mahmud was an adviser to the 1996 caretaker government while Majumdar was appointed as special assistant to this interim government's chief adviser on August 12, the news portal said.