Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus vows crackdown on ‘conspirators’ amid deadly unrest
Newly sworn-in Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus vowed to crack down on conspirators as Bangladesh struggles to return to normalcy following weeks of violent protests and the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In his first address to the nation, Yunus warned that those who spread anarchy would face the full force of law enforcement agencies.
“The conspirators have created an atmosphere of anarchy and fear in the country to thwart our second independence through the uprising of the student-masses. Anarchy is our enemy, and it must be defeated quickly,” he said.
Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate, took office as the head of the interim government after President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament and Hasina resigned and fled to India. He was sworn in as the chief adviser, a position equivalent to prime minister, and promised to deliver a government that assures safety to its citizens.
A 16-member council of advisers also took oath on Thursday to assist Yunus in running the caretaker government, which will lead the country for a certain period and oversee the election to transition power to an elected government.
The council of advisers includes Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, student leaders who played key roles in the anti-quota protests that escalated into a national movement against the erstwhile Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his pioneering work on microlending, expressed gratitude to the youth who made the protest movement against Hasina successful. “Today is a day of our pride,” he said, calling the change of regime the country’s “second independence.”
Yunus’s call for an end to violence was welcomed by the United States. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed readiness to work with the interim government to chart a democratic future for Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, members of Sheikh Hasina’s team, who had fled to India, left for undisclosed destinations abroad on Thursday. The Indian government has allowed Hasina, 76, refuge until she gets asylum in some other country.
The situation in Bangladesh remains volatile. The weeks-long unrest has taken a heavy toll, with more than 560 people reported dead since mid-July, according to local media. Violence surged following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, with 232 deaths reported since Monday alone.
Targeted attacks on Hindus were also reported, as extremist groups exploited the political instability and resorted to widespread arson, vandalism, and assaults on Hindu temples, homes, and businesses.
Over 7,200 Indian students returned to India in the weeks leading up to August 1 due to the situation in Bangladesh, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. MoS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said around 19,000 Indian citizens, including over 9,000 students, are still in Bangladesh.