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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
84-year-old Yunus took the oath of office as the chief advisor, a role equivalent to that of prime minister in Dhaka.
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of the interim government on Thursday, just days after student-led protests brought an end to Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.
At 84 years old, Yunus took the oath of office as the chief advisor, a role equivalent to that of prime minister. During the ceremony at the presidential palace in Dhaka, attended by political and civil society leaders, military generals, and diplomats, Yunus pledged to “uphold, support, and protect the constitution.”
Over a dozen members of his newly formed cabinet, who bear the title of advisers instead of ministers, also took the oath. This caretaker government is primarily composed of civilians, except one retired brigadier-general.
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The 16-member advisory council, led by Yunus, will steer Bangladesh through this period of crisis and oversee the election process, ensuring a smooth transition of power to an elected government.
Among those appointed to the advisory council are Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, women’s rights advocate Farida Akhtar, deputy chief of the right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam AFM Khalid Hossain, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Supradip Chakma, Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy, and former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain.
In addition to figures like Md Nazrul Islam, Adilur Rahman Khan, AF Hassan Ariff, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Supradip Chakma, and Farooq-e-Azam, the council also includes two prominent leaders from the Students Against Discrimination movement—Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud—who played a key role in the protests against Sheikh Hasina’s government.
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Following weeks of turmoil, Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s five-time prime minister, resigned and fled to India on Monday, prompting the establishment of an interim government.
The unrest had been building since the January 7 elections. Months later, in June, protests intensified following a high court order that reinstated a controversial 30% job quota for families of 1971 War of Independence veterans. This decision led to clashes that have claimed over 450 lives so far. Additionally, there have been brutal attacks on Hindus and other minorities, including their homes, businesses, and places of worship.
