Dhaka: Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken the oath as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh, following student-led protests that ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina. Yunus was sworn in as the chief advisor, a position equivalent to prime minister, and pledged to “uphold, support and protect the constitution.” Over a dozen members of his cabinet, given the title of advisers, also took the oath. The caretaker administration is a civilian team, with one retired brigadier-general.
A 16-member council of advisers was announced in the interim government, which will lead the crisis-stricken country for a certain period and oversee the election to transition power to an elected government. The advisory council includes Brigadier General M Sakhawat Hossain, women’s rights activist Farida Akhtar, right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam’s deputy chief AFM Khalid Hossain, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Supradip Chakma, Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy, and former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain.
The new interim government was formed after weeks of violence and clashes, forcing Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India. The new government was formed after the January 7 elections, which were won by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League in a landslide.
