As Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus arrives in Bangladesh to lead the country’s interim government, reports are emerging that no politician will be part of his team. A source familiar with the matter told The Dhaka Tribune, that after arriving in Dhaka, Yunus met with the chief of the armed forces, civil society members and student leaders at the airport.
The source stated that during the meeting, the names of other advisors were decided, who would join Yunus in the interim government. However, the source made it clear that no politician will be part of the caretaker government. The news dismissed the concerns and speculations that politicians from BNP and other rival parties of Awami League will take over the new government after the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post and fled Bangladesh.
Scholars and professionals to be part of Yunus’s team
The source told The Dhaka Tribune that advisers of the interim government would be chosen from civil society and various professional fields. Earlier, when asked about the size of the interim government, Bangladesh’s Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said he believed the Yunus government might initially consist of around 15 members.
“However, one or two more individuals may be added," he averred. It is pertinent to note that in Bangladesh, the position of chief advisor is equivalent to the post of the Prime Minister and the other advisors are equivalent to ministers.
Yunus pledges to rapidly advance Bangladesh’s progress
While addressing a gathering at the Dhaka airport, the Nobel laureate who is set to take charge as the head of the interim government said that his team will ensure that the newly reborn Bangladesh advances rapidly.
“Today is a day of pride for us. The revolution that has given birth to a new Victory Day for Bangladesh must be carried forward and strengthened. I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the youth who made this possible. They stood by me, they have protected this country, and they have given it a rebirth,” he said on Thursday.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe proclamation from Yunus came during a press briefing at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after his arrival from the 2024 Paris Olympics in France. During the presser, the Bangladeshi Nobel Prize winner made it clear that restoring law and order is a priority. “I urge the people of the country to trust in me, to have faith in me, and that no harm will come to anyone in the country.”
He even became emotional during his address. “Today, I am reminded of Abu Sayed (a student from Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur who was killed in a shooting). He was an unbelievingly brave young man. Abu Sayed’s name is etched in the hearts of every person in this country. Through this incident, a second independence has come to the nation,” he recalled.
Bangabhaban is ready to hold the oath-taking ceremony for Bangladesh’s interim government, which will take place around 8:00 PM (local time) President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath of office to the new government.