Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to head Bangladesh's interim government supported by the military
Bangladesh Protests: Following Sheikh Hasina's ouster, Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate in Bangladeshi microfinance, has been named chairman of the military-backed interim administration. Late Friday night, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman met with student leaders whose protest movement resulted in Ms. Hasina's departure. The decision to establish Muhammad Yunus as the head of an interim administration was made public by the President's office.
The Bangladeshi Army sacked Ziaul Ahsan, the leader of the notorious Rapid Action Battalion paramilitary squad, and reshuffled numerous generals, demoting those deemed sympathetic to Sheikh Hasina. Yesterday, 78-year-old former prime minister and BNP leader Khaleda Zia was freed from years of house imprisonment.
Since Sheikh Hasina's administration fell, hundreds of Hindu homes, businesses, and temples have reportedly been destroyed, according to rights organizations. Following weeks of protests over a jobs quota that resulted in over 400 deaths, Ms. Hasina, 76, was compelled to relinquish her position as prime minister on Monday evening. She apparently received a 45-minute ultimatum from the Bangladesh Army, at which point she left Dhaka.
According to sources, Ms. Hasina is anticipated to stay in India for the next few days after arriving at the Hindon airfield, which is close to Delhi, on Monday in a military aircraft from Bangladesh. Her son Sajeeb Wazed refuted the rumors that she sought refuge in London, saying, "The reports about her requesting asylum are incorrect." Nowhere has she applied for asylum. Therefore, it is untrue to say that the US or the UK have not responded."
The Indian government is allowing Sheikh Hasina time to "recover" and determine her future course of action, according to Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. She asked for permission to visit India very quickly. The authorities in Bangladesh sent us a request for flight clearance at the same time," he said.
Additionally, Mr. Jaishankar updated leaders of all parties on the state of affairs in Bangladesh and the actions taken by the Indian government to mitigate possible diplomatic, economic, and security ramifications. In light of the ongoing violence, he gave the assurance that the administration is in contact with the Bangladeshi Army to guarantee the protection of Indian nationals and other minorities living in Bangladesh.
Some of the biggest disturbances of Sheikh Hasina's 15-year tenure resulted from the anti-government protests that started in June over civil service job quotas and eventually led to broader calls for her resignation.
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- With inputs from agencies
