Leaders of protest movements in Bangladesh expect the formation of an interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, to be finalised on Wednesday. This follows the resignation and subsequent flight to India of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in the wake of a violent suppression of a student rebellion.
The President of Bangladesh nominated Yunus to lead the interim government, a recommendation put forth by student leaders. Other members of the interim government are yet to be confirmed. This needs to be achieved swiftly to mitigate the ongoing crisis and prepare for upcoming elections.
This interim regime will fill the power hiatus created by Hasina’s resignation. The announcement was made on Monday, in a broadcasted address by the army chief of Bangladesh. It followed a period of deadly violence that swept through the nation, resulting in approximately 300 fatalities and thousands injured.
Muhammad Yunus, 84, emphasised the crucial need for the rapid reinstatement of government trust, during an interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday. He clarified that he did not intend to seek an elected role or tenure beyond the interim period.
Yunus’s representative revealed expected plans for his return to Dhaka on Thursday, following a medical procedure in Paris.
In an address to the newspaper, Yunus stressed the need for tranquillity, a detailed plan for forthcoming elections, and preparatory work for new governance. He further mentioned his intent to consult with all pertinent parties about collaborative efforts to rebuild Bangladesh.
Hasina’s departure from office sparked nationwide celebration. Following her departure, citizens stormed her official residence unopposed, marking the conclusion of her second 15-year term in a nation of 170 million dealing with recent economic hardships.
The usual order gradually resumed following the turmoil on Monday. However, fresh protests were sparked on Wednesday in a Dhaka suburb when central bank officials demanded the resignation of four deputy governors over alleged corruption, as per sources from the Bangladesh Bank. The bank has not yet issued a comment.
In the capital city of Dhaka, a large crowd assembled to support the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main political opposition, whose leader, Khaleda Zia, was released from house arrest by President Mohammed Shahabuddin earlier in the week.
Simultaneously, India, with its robust cultural and business alliances with Bangladesh, opted to withdraw all non-essential embassy personnel and their families from the country, according to two sources within the Indian government.
Numerous schools and university campuses across Dhaka and other cities, which had been forced to close in mid-July due to protests, reopened. Public transport became operational again as citizens returned to their work at offices and banks. The garment factories, being crucial to Bangladesh’s economy, resumed production on Wednesday after several days of inactivity.
The uprising that resulted in overthrowing Hasina was initiated as a protest against the system of reserving public-sector jobs for families of the 1971 war of independence veterans, a ploy critics claim serves to retain jobs for the ruling party’s allies.
The president has furthermore suggested nominating a 1971 war veteran to the temporary government.
In its first commentary since the outbreak of protests, Pakistan’s foreign ministry voiced solidarity with the people of Bangladesh on Wednesday, fervently hoping for a rapid and peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Nahid Islam, a significant figure in the student movement, announced following the president’s statement that an initial list of 10-15 potential members for the interim government had been presented by the students. Islam anticipates confirmation of these members within a day.
According to Islam, the suggestions for the temporary government span persons from civil society as well as student representatives.
Former leader Hasina arrived in New Delhi on early Monday, and is reportedly staying in a secure house on the city’s outskirts. There are speculations by Indian media outlets about her possible trip to Britain, but there hasn’t been any confirmation from the British Home Office. – Reuters
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