DHAKA:The interim government of Bangladesh is set to be sworn in tomorrow. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus will lead the government when he arrives in the country, the army chief announced. Mr Yunus, who is currently in France, has said he was looking forward to helping the country overcome its current turbulence. The caretaker government will fill in the void left by the Monday ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid student-led protests that saw over 400 deaths after a violent crackdown.
Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate will lead the country’s interim government, the country’s presidency announced Wednesday following a meeting with military leaders, student protesters, and civil society members. The announcement was made after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled amidst a mass uprising driven by student-led protests.
The Nobel Peace laureate tapped to lead an interim government in Bangladesh called for calm and boarded a flight on Wednesday to return home, a day before his new government is expected to be sworn in to replace ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Muhammad Yunus, 84, was picked by President Mohammed Shahabuddin to lead the new interim government, a key demand of student demonstrators whose uprising drove Hasina to flee to India on Monday.
Yunus is renowned for founding Grameen Bank and pioneering microcredit. He now faces the daunting task of leading Bangladesh through its current crisis.
His recent legal battles and transition into a leadership role propelled him to the forefront of the Bangladeshi politics, a far cry from his previous focus on poverty alleviation. The military, led by General Waker-uz-Zaman, played a critical role in the recent upheaval, including issuing an ultimatum to Hasina and assuming temporary control. There are concerns about the military’s influence in governance, given the history of military rule in Bangladesh and past atrocities.
The ongoing unrest has worsened communal tensions, particularly affecting minority groups and other targeted communities. Yunus will also need to address these issues, ensuring their protection. Meawhile, he has to work towards social reconciliation as he navigates the country’s political instability.
The movement rose out of demonstrations against public sector job quotas for families of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war, seen by critics as a means to reserve jobs for allies of the ruling party.
