Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus takes oath as head of Bangladesh's interim government

DHAKA: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Thursday took oath as the head of an interim government, replacing Sheikh Hasina who abruptly resigned and fled to India leaving the country in turmoil following deadly protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Yunus, 84, was administered the oath of office by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at a ceremony at the presidential palace 'Bangabhaban'.

A 16-member council of advisers was announced to assist Yunus in running the state's affairs. Md. Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, were also part of the advisory council.

Women's rights activist Farida Akhtar, right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam's deputy chief AFM Khalid Hossain, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Supradip Chakma, Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy and former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain are among the advisory council members.

Yunus was sworn in as the chief advisor - a position equivalent to prime minister.

Leaders of political parties, judges, representatives of various organizations, chiefs of the three services, inspector general of police, senior military and civil officers, diplomats, freedom fighters, senior journalists and other dignitaries were present at the ceremony.

Roy, Chakma and Bir Pratik Faruk-e-Azam could not take the oath as they were outside Dhaka.

The interim government will lead the country for a certain period and oversee the election to transition power to an elected government.

Ahead of taking the oath, Yunus promised to deliver a government which assures safety to its citizens and urged them to assist him in rebuilding the protest-torn country, as he described the ouster of Hasina as the country's "second independence".

Yunus, who was in Paris for the Olympic Games, returned to the country via Dubai on Thursday on an Emirates flight. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, senior officials, student leaders and civil society members welcomed him at the airport.

"Today is a day of our pride,” he said at an emotional press conference at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after his arrival. "We have got independence for the second time. We have to protect this independence."

He expressed gratitude to the youth who made the protest movement against Hasina successful and said he would like to stress first to "save the country from violence so that we can move forward on the path that the students have shown us."

He urged people from all walks of life to listen to him and said he agreed to take charge of the interim administration responding to the call of the students and youths.

"If you have faith in me and trust me, then ensure that there will be no attack anywhere in the country. This is our first responsibility," he said at the crowded press briefing. "If I can’t do it and you do not listen to me, I don’t have any utility here."

He termed the anarchic activities and attacks on minority communities as "part of a conspiracy”.

"We have to form a government which assures safety to its citizens," he said.

Yunus said the country was now in the hands of the young people.

"The nation is in your hands now. Now you have to rebuild it as per your aspirations. You have to use your creativity to build the country. You have earned independence for the country," he said.

"We need to change our state structure and remove all elements of fear from it so that people look at it and think that the state has been formed to safeguard them," Yunus added.

Bangladesh witnessed deadly unrest in recent weeks. Over 500 people, including police personnel, were killed in the violence centring the students' movement.

Many of those killed died after the Supreme Court backed student demands and largely scrapped the quota system last month.

Yunus also paid tribute to Abu Sayed, a student activist, who was among the first killed in police firing during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Meanwhile, policemen were slowly returning to work in response to his call.

Following the fall of the Hasina government, several police stations were attacked and set on fire, leading to many officers evacuating their stations due to the threat of more attacks.

People from all walks of life, including different political parties leaders and students, are extending all-out necessary support to the returnee police personnel so they can come to their workplaces safely, according to a press release issued by police headquarters on Thursday.

The Army chief, who first announced the formation of an interim government, did not disclose the possible tenure of the government.

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

Yunus, whose name was first proposed for the top job by the coordinators of the student movement that led to Hasina's ouster, on Wednesday congratulated the "brave students" who took the lead in making, what he said, "our Second Victory Day possible".

"Let us not miss the chance by going into any senseless violence. Violence is our enemy. Please don’t create more enemies. Be calm and get ready to build the country," he said in a statement. "If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed. Please stay calm. Help those around you to stay calm."

His successful anti-poverty campaign through the Grameen Bank became a model which was replicated across continents.

He had been in a protracted row with Hasina’s government due to obscure reasons while authorities initiated a series of investigations against him after she came to power in 2008.

Bangladesh authorities launched a review of the statutory Grameen Bank's activities in 2011 and fired Yunus as its founding managing director on charges of violating the government retirement regulation.

Yunus was charged under dozens of cases during Hasina's regime.

In January, a court sentenced Yunus to six months in jail on charges of labour law violation.

Many people believe Hasina became enraged when Yunus announced that he would form a political party in 2007 when a military-backed government ran the country and Hasina was in prison.