The military turned against Hasina over the weekend, leading to her fleeing to India and widespread celebrations among Bangladeshis
DHAKA: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has returned to Bangladesh to assume leadership of a caretaker government following a student-led uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure. Yunus, who arrived in Dhaka from Paris via Dubai shortly after 2:00 pm, is set to be inaugurated later today, marking the beginning of what Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has promised will be a “beautiful democratic process.”
Just a week ago, the prospect of Yunus, 84, leading the country seemed improbable. Security forces had been employing deadly force against protesters demanding Hasina’s resignation. However, the military shifted its stance over the weekend, leading to Hasina’s flight to India and widespread celebrations among Bangladeshis. In response to student demands, the military agreed to Yunus heading an interim government.
Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006 for his pioneering work in microfinance, had been traveling abroad this year while on bail following a politically motivated conviction. A Dhaka court acquitted him of charges on Wednesday, clearing him of over 100 criminal cases and a smear campaign led by a state-backed Islamic agency accusing him of promoting homosexuality. Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has expressed strong support for Yunus, anticipating his swearing-in later today and expressing confidence that Yunus will effectively guide the country through a democratic transition. Yunus has indicated his intention to hold elections “within a few” months.
Details regarding the structure of the new government, including the military’s role, are still emerging. In Dhaka, rallies organized by supporters of the former opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) have expressed hopes for a consensual national government and police reforms to prevent harassment. Hasina, who had been in power since 2009, resigned on Monday amidst massive protests, paving the way for Yunus’s return and the potential for significant political change.
