The Nobel Peace laureate says he’s going to carry out his tasks ‘sincerely’ as he’s decided on period in-between chief after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.The Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus has been sworn in as the top of Bangladesh’s period in-between govt, 3 days after Top Minister Sheikh Hasina was once pressured to surrender and flee to neighbouring India.
Yunus, 84, took the oath throughout a rite on the presidential palace in Dhaka on Thursday night time that was once attended by way of political leaders, civil society leaders, generals and diplomats.
“I can uphold, give a boost to and give protection to the charter,” Yunus stated as he was once administered the oath by way of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, including that he’s going to carry out his tasks “sincerely”.
Greater than a dozen individuals of his cupboard, whose titles are advisers, now not ministers, additionally took the oath because the caretaker govt will now search to revive peace and get ready for brand new elections.
They come with Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, best leaders of the Scholars In opposition to Discrimination team, which led the weeks-long protests that ousted Hasina.
Others come with Touhid Hossain, a former international secretary, and Hassan Ariff, a former legal professional normal. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an award-winning environmental legal professional, and Asif Nazrul, a best regulation professor and creator, had been additionally sworn in.
Adilur Rahman Khan, a outstanding human rights activist who was once sentenced to 2 years in prison by way of Hasina’s govt, additionally took the oath as an adviser.
Contributors of the period in-between govt are sworn in [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
No representatives of Hasina’s Awami League birthday celebration had been provide on the rite.
Hasina hand over on Monday after national protests that started in July towards a quota gadget for presidency jobs that critics stated favoured other folks with connections to her birthday celebration.
However the demonstrations quickly grew into a larger problem for Hasina’s 15-year rule as greater than 300 other folks, together with scholars, had been killed throughout spiralling violence.
Yunus, who was once awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his paintings creating microcredit markets, was once within the French capital for the 2024 Olympics when he was once selected for the period in-between position and returned house previous on Thursday to tight safety on the airport in Dhaka.
In his first feedback after his arrival, he stated at a information briefing that his precedence can be to revive order. “Bangladesh is a circle of relatives. We need to unite it,” Yunus stated whilst flanked by way of pupil leaders. “It has immense chance.”
Indian Top Minister Narendra Modi presented his “highest needs” to Yunus, announcing New Delhi was once “dedicated” to running with neighbouring Dhaka.
“My highest needs to Professor Muhammad Yunus at the assumption of his new duties,” Modi wrote at the social media platform X. “India stays dedicated to running with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of each our peoples for peace, safety and construction.”
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdury, reporting from Dhaka, stated Yunus needs the folks to really feel safe and has requested other folks to not search vengeance or reprisal.
“Most of the people say it will be excellent if the period in-between govt remains for a very long time to wash up the gadget,” he stated.
Chowdury stated the folks need an unbiased judiciary and election fee to “depoliticise the gadget”.
“As a result of on every occasion there’s a political govt, there are numerous people who find themselves unswerving to that govt and given the next place, and that entire gadget will get corrupted,” he stated.
On Wednesday, a tribunal in Dhaka acquitted Yunus in a labour regulation violation case involving a telecommunications corporate he based wherein he was once convicted and sentenced to 6 months in prison. He was once out on bail within the case.
Yunus has been an established opponent of Hasina, who had known as him a “bloodsucker” allegedly for the usage of drive to extract mortgage repayments from rural deficient other folks, principally girls. Yunus has denied the allegations.
