Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government on Tuesday, following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and flight from the country amid a violent student-led uprising.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin made the appointment after meeting with student leaders and military chiefs, local media reported. Yunus, 84, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work with Grameen Bank in alleviating poverty, will lead the interim government that is expected to address the power vacuum left by Hasina’s departure.
The interim administration is tasked with filling the void created by the army chief’s announcement of Hasina’s resignation in a televised address. This followed weeks of violence that resulted in approximately 300 deaths and thousands of injuries. The interim government is also anticipated to oversee upcoming elections.
Yunus, who is currently in Paris for a medical procedure, is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday. Student leaders have proposed a list of 10-15 members for the interim government, which includes civil society and student representatives. The final composition is expected to be confirmed within 24 hours.
President Shahabuddin also recommended including a veteran of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war in the interim government. The movement that led to Hasina’s removal began with protests against public sector job quotas for veterans’ families, viewed by critics as a means to benefit allies of the ruling party.
Hasina, who had governed Bangladesh for 20 of the last 30 years, fled to New Delhi and is currently staying at a safe house on the outskirts of the Indian capital. The student-led movement had earlier demanded her resignation and the dissolution of parliament, which was achieved with Shahabuddin’s announcement.
The interim government is expected to facilitate a cease-fire in Gaza and hold new elections soon. Yunus has expressed concerns about the impact of the recent violence and criticized India’s role in allowing Hasina to seek refuge there. The recent unrest has seen attacks on minority communities, including Hindu temples, prompting calls for restraint.
