Interim govt: Swearing-in tonight

Members of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus will take oath tonight, three days after the cabinet was dissolved following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.

After sharing the information with journalists, army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman yesterday said the oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held at 8:00pm in presence of some 400 dignitaries.

He hinted that the interim government may have 15 members for now. He, however, did not disclose their names and the possible tenure of the government.

General Waker-Uz-Zaman hoped that normalcy would return within three to four days as the situation across the country is improving significantly.

Those involved in the crimes committed over the past few days will not be spared and legal action will be taken against them, he said.

The army chief briefed the media at the Army Headquarters yesterday, two days after Hasina resigned and fled the country amid an upspring.

On Tuesday night, President Mohammed Shahabuddin gave his consent to the proposal of the key student protest organisers for making Prof Yunus the interim government chief.

Since then, the people waited to know when the government would take charge and bring the prevailing situation under its control.

Yesterday, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said he had talked to Prof Yunus.

“I felt very good talking to him. It seemed to me that he is very eager to take up the responsibility. I’m certain that he will be successful in taking us to a democratic process, and that we will benefit from it.”

General Waker-Uz-Zaman said they have discussed with political parties and protest organisers about making Prof Yunus the interim government chief.

He said they talked to the president about it and made the proposal.

He added that Prof Yunus will reach Bangladesh today.

General Waker-Uz-Zaman hoped that Prof Yunus would get support from all political parties and students, and he would be successful in discharging his duties.

“The navy chief, the air force chief and I … We all will support him,” he said.

He praised students and volunteers working to maintain traffic on the city streets in the absence of traffic police and to clean different vandalised sites and requested them to continue the good work.

He said students, following his request, also worked to prevent looting and other criminal activities committed outside Dhaka.

The army chief said he talked to commanders and general officers commanding (GOC) yesterday and came to know that the situation was improving significantly.

He urged people not to believe any rumors involving the army.

General Waker-Uz-Zaman said work is on to revamp the police force as a new inspector general of police has already been appointed and hoped that police personnel would start performing their duties soon.

“I want to assure that the army, navy, and air force were with the people and will be with them,” he said.

Responding to a query of a reporter when the interim government members can take the oath, the army chief said they were trying their best to hold the event today.

He said there was a proposal to hold the programme in the evening, but it would be tight given that Prof Yunus will reach Dhaka around 2:10pm.

“In that case, we may hold the programme at 8:00pm.”

When his comment was sought about the people’s concern over the recent incidents of looting and vandalism, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said he has taken responsibility of all people and sought cooperation from political leaders in this regard as there were possibilities of such incidents during the transition of power.

“They [political leaders] assured me of their best possible cooperation. Even though some incidents took place and there are some reasons behind it. The situation, however, is getting normal.”

He said police personnel were not on the ground and it was not possible to fill the void with the army personnel.

However, the army personnel have been trying their best and they rescued thousands of people, police personnel and are guarding different important establishments like the airport, and the secretariat, said General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

“I’m very sorry and embarrassed for what has taken place in the first one or two days.”

Apart from army personnel, navy and air force personnel are working, he said.

“We have tried our best. But still some incidents happened. It is simply because we did not have enough strength. But I’m sure when the police force gets revamped, the void will easily be filled,” he said.

“But I want to say that we will try our best to bring those involved in such [criminal] activities to book,” he added.

Asked whether he had any plan to increase the number of the force on the ground, the army chief said, “All the personnel we have in the military have already been deployed and they are working.”

Responding to another question, he said, “Politicians asked me to take the responsibility [of people’s safety].

“Somebody has to take it [responsibility]. There was no one to take it and thus I shouldered the responsibility. I have to take the responsibility if there is any failure here. I have tried my best and normalcy will return within a very short time,” he said.

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