Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus takes oath as head of Bangladesh’s interim government
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Loading... - Willie Morgan
- 08 Aug 2024
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Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus has officially taken the oath as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, just three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down and flee to India amid escalating protests.
Yunus, 84, was sworn in during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Dhaka on Thursday night, with attendance from key political figures, civil society leaders, military generals, and diplomats.
During the ceremony, Yunus pledged to uphold the constitution and serve with sincerity. His newly appointed cabinet, referred to as advisers rather than ministers, also took the oath. The cabinet includes prominent figures such as Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, leaders of the Students Against Discrimination group, as well as Touhid Hossain, a former foreign secretary, Hassan Ariff, a former attorney general, and Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an acclaimed environmental lawyer. Adilur Rahman Khan, a notable human rights activist previously jailed by Hasina's government, was also sworn in as an adviser.
Notably absent from the ceremony were any representatives from Hasina’s Awami League party. Hasina resigned following massive protests that initially began over a controversial quota system for government jobs, which later escalated into widespread unrest challenging her 15-year tenure, leading to the deaths of over 300 people amid the violence. The interim government, under Yunus, is now tasked with restoring peace and preparing for new elections.
