Yunus to helm interim govt

Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus is set to become the head of interim government.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin agreed to appoint Yunus as head of an interim government that is yet to materialise as the country continues to stagger in a power vacuum for the second day.

Organisers of the student protests met the president and chiefs of the army, navy, and air force yesterday to discuss their proposed outline for the interim government that will steward Bangladesh until the next election, key protest organiser Nahid Islam told reporters in front of the Bangabhaban early today.

The president suggested finalising the other members of the interim government in consultation with political parties, noting the country’s precarious situation warranted quick appointment of an interim government.

Emerging from a four-hour meeting at the Bangabhaban that continued well past Tuesday midnight, Nahid said they made a list of 10 to 15 people to help Yunus run the interim government. “But the list will be finalised after discussions with political parties.”

A Bangabhaban press release sent to media outlets early today said the president requested that a freedom fighter be included among those to help Yunus.

According to a unanimous decision on Monday by the chiefs of the three services, politicians, and civil society representatives, the president dissolved the parliament earlier in the day without an outline for an interim government or a clear transition path.

With the dissolution of the 12th parliament, he also set off a 90-day countdown for the general elections as mandated by the constitution.

With the entire police force remaining absent and without any directives or announcements about law and order, students and volunteers took up the responsibility of directing traffic on the streets of Dhaka yesterday.

Police stations and outposts remained deserted as hundreds of them had been burnt or razed to the ground.

The power vacuum comes in the wake of Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigning on Monday and fleeing the country amid a mass uprising where hundreds of thousands began to march towards Dhaka.

Earlier in the day, Nahid, proposed Yunus as head of the interim government and said Yunus had agreed to shoulder the responsibility.

“We want to see the process rolling by the morning. We urge the president to take steps as soon as possible to form an interim government headed by Dr Yunus,” said Nahid, who came under the spotlight when he was abducted by law enforcement agencies during the height of the student protests.

Nahid was found a day later by the side of a road with bruises and clear signs of torture.

Nahid reminded everyone that no government other than the one the students proposed would be acceptable. “As we have said, no military government, or one backed by the military, or a government of fascists, will be accepted.”

Yunus, attending the Paris Olympics as a special guest, had initially been reluctant to accept the proposal but eventually gave in to repeated requests from the students.

“If the students can sacrifice so much, if the people of the country can sacrifice so much, then I also have some responsibility. Then I told the students that I would accept,” a reliable of source quoted him as saying.

Sheikh Hasina’s government had hounded the Grameen Bank founder and microcredit pioneer for almost a decade.

Nahid said they were expecting Yunus to reach Bangladesh later today or early tomorrow.

LondonGBDESK//