Muhammad Yunus, leader of Bangladesh's interim government

It has been decided to form the next interim government of the country headed by Nobel laureate economist Dr. Muhammad Yunus. This decision was taken in the meeting of three army chiefs and student movement coordinators with President Md. Sahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Tuesday night.

Yesterday evening around six o'clock in the evening, a group of fifteen coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, who spearheaded the quota reform effort, traveled to Bangabhaban. At approximately 7:30 p.m., an hour and a half later, the leaders of the three forces arrived in Bangabhaban. in a protracted discussion with the student movement organizers, the commanders of the three forces, and the president of Bangabhaban. It was agreed to install Muhammad Yunus as the head of an interim administration.

After the meeting, at about 1:30 pm, coordinator Nahid Islam left Bangabhaban and addressed the assembled media on behalf of the student movement's anti-discrimination coordinators. He said that they have proposed the name of Dr. Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government. The President gave his approval. In addition, a list of the names of the remaining fifteen members of the interim government has been provided. where civil society is represented along with students. This list will shortly be finalized through discussions with different political parties. They anticipate that, at the latest, the temporary administration will be established in less than a day.

According to Asif Nazrul, a lecturer at Dhaka University, "We are going to form this government in an unusual situation." There are now several approaches to give it constitutional legitimacy. There are guidelines that we shall adhere to. The government's term has not yet been decided upon. At the Bangabhaban meeting was Professor Tanjim Uddin Khan from the Department of International Relations at Dhaka University.

Earlier yesterday morning, through a video message, the leaders of the student movement proposed the name of Dr. Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government.

Today Wednesday or tomorrow Thursday as the head of the interim government. Government sources say that Yunus can take over. However, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, there is virtually no government in the country for two days. As a result, an unstable environment is prevailing in the entire country including Dhaka.

To stabilize the situation, the agitating students and leaders of political parties including BNP were demanding the formation of an interim government in the shortest possible time.

BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Democracy Manch and other parties and alliances which met with the President and Army Chief last Monday, said that they have a consensus regarding Dr. Yunus. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the matter came into discussion as the students proposed the name of Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

 

Muhammad Yunus will Take Responsibility

Muhammad Yunus informed the media yesterday that Muhammad Yunus will take charge of the interim government. Dr. Yunus told the BBC, "When the students who have sacrificed so much have asked me to come forward at this difficult time, how can I say no?"

Muhammad Yunus is currently in Paris, the capital of France. It is said that he will return to the country today or tomorrow. He can then take over as head of the interim government. However, it has not yet been finalized whether the other advisors of the government will also take responsibility at the same time, or take responsibility later.

There are various speculations among the political circles and the people of the country about the number of members of the interim government, who will get a place in it. Various lists have also spread on social media. However, no truth was found.

Leaders of various parties say that since Muhammad Yunus will take over as the head of the government, his opinion on who else will be in the government will be needed.

In this case, there is a discussion that the coordinators of the quota reform movement will have a special role. The opinion of the army can also be important.

Who can come to the government?

 The President and the three heads of the military forces met with leaders of a number of political parties on Monday, including the BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan, and Democracy Forum. These conversations took place across two rounds. According to sources close to the parties, the interim administration may consist of businessmen, professors at universities, attorneys, leaders of civil society, and former military personnel turned civilian officials. 

So far neither the president nor the army chief have consulted with the newly deposed Awami League and their allies about the interim government.

In 2011, the caretaker government was removed from the constitution. Earlier, the person heading the interim government during the election was sworn in as the chief adviser and others as advisers. That framework may be followed this time too. The President dissolved Parliament yesterday. Now there is no elected representative in the country. As a result, the new government that will be formed, including its head, will be unelected.

After noon on Monday, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister and left the country. This ended his 15-and-a-half-year rule. He is currently based in Delhi, India.