The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is set to take the oath of office on Thursday, announced the nation’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman.
The ceremony is scheduled for 8 pm. President Mohammed Shahabuddin appointed Muhammad Yunus, 84, to head the interim government following the violent ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. General Waker revealed that the advisory council, led by Yunus, is likely to have 15 members.
Muhammad Yunus who is currently on his way to Dhaka from Paris via Dubai, expressed his eagerness to lead the nation through its current turmoil. “I’m looking forward to going back home, seeing what’s happening, and organizing ourselves to get out of the trouble we are in,” Yunus told reporters before boarding his flight.
In a televised address, General Waker voiced confidence in Yunus’s ability to guide the country through a “beautiful democratic process,” emphasizing the need for calm after weeks of violent unrest that left at least 455 people dead.
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The unrest, which began as protests against a government job quota plan, escalated into a movement against Hasina, culminating in her resignation and flight to India.
Muhammad Yunus, credited with lifting millions out of poverty through microfinance, was quickly appointed after student leaders called for his leadership. In a meeting with President Shahabuddin, military heads, and student leaders, it was decided Yunus would serve as chief adviser.
In related news, a Bangladesh court acquitted Muhammad Yunus of a labour conviction on appeal, a case widely criticized as politically motivated. Yunus had been sentenced to six months in jail earlier this year but was bailed pending appeal. His appointment as interim leader comes amid hopes that his guidance will help the nation navigate through its current crisis and restore democratic processes.
