BANGLADESH UPDATE: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus appointed head of interim govt
…. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina planned to travel to London through India but is delayed now due to uncertainties.
Oru Leonard
Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule as Bangladesh’s prime minister ended Monday as she fled following over a month of deadly protests. The military announced it would form an interim government.
Since early July, Hasina had tried to suppress nationwide protests against her government. However, after brutal unrest on Sunday that left nearly 100 people dead, she fled the country.
Her exit followed a crackdown on demonstrations that initially protested preferential job quotas but grew into a movement demanding her resignation, resulting in hundreds of deaths.
Bangladesh crisis latest updates
• Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the parliament on Tuesday to pave the way for an interim administration. This decision came a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country amidst massive protests against her government.
• External affairs minister S Jaishankar informed an all-party meeting on Tuesday that Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after resigning as prime minister amid massive protests in her country, was in shock over the recent developments, sources reported.
• On Tuesday, student leaders in Bangladesh called for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to head a caretaker government, following the military’s takeover after widespread demonstrations forced the longtime ruler Sheikh Hasina to flee the country.
• Bangladesh’s first female leader, Khaleda Zia, was released from house arrest on Tuesday, a day after her rival Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country. This event marks yet another chapter in the long-standing “Battle of the Begums” for dominance in Bangladesh.
• The office of President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced that Khaleda, the head of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was freed following discussions with defence chiefs and political leaders.
• President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced an interim government would be formed soon after dissolving parliament and ordered the release of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
• The World Bank said it is assessing the impact of events in Bangladesh on its loan program after Hasina’s resignation and departure.
• The United States called for calm and urged a democratic and inclusive process for forming the interim government, encouraging all parties to refrain from violence.
• West Bengal Police urged people to avoid sharing provocative videos amid the crisis in Bangladesh.
• West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose assured that the Bangladesh-West Bengal borders are secure and effective measures will be taken to stop unauthorized entry into India.
Where is Sheikh Hasina?
Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh’s prime minister and arrived in India on Monday evening following mounting protests. She discussed the current situation in Bangladesh and her future plans with India’s national security advisor, Ajit Doval, at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad.
Bangladesh has been witness to dramatic developments in the last couple of days. Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 15 years, resigned as prime minister on Monday following massive protests that initially began as an agitation against a job quota scheme but weeks later morphed into a mass movement demanding her ouster from power.
Families of those killed in Bangladesh’s student protests on Tuesday presented an 11-point list of demands, which includes job rehabilitation, to the interim government poised to replace the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime.
The death toll from the large-scale protests against the Hasina government’s job quota system has climbed to 440. Over the weekend alone, more than 200 people were killed as violent clashes erupted between police and predominantly student protesters.
BSF enhances border security
In response to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the BSF Meghalaya Frontier, responsible for a 444 km stretch of the international border with Bangladesh has stepped up security measures to strengthen border control and management.
Also, amid the Bangladesh crisis, Odisha heightens coastal guard
The Odisha government has increased surveillance along its coast due to the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, officials said on Tuesday. They said that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh often enter India by sea and reach the state’s extensive coastline.
Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe says concerned about Sheikh Hasina’s plight
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed concern on Tuesday over Sheikh Hasina’s situation, suggesting that if Hasina had released former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from prison earlier, she might still be in power.
“While I prefer not to delve into the internal politics of Bangladesh, a country with which we have friendly relations, I want to make a point. Despite her resignation, it’s important to remember that she extended a USD 200 million loan to us during our country’s most challenging time,” Wickremesinghe stated at a Colombo event.
He was referring to the financial aid provided by the Hasina administration during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis in 2022, which was the only external support aside from India’s USD 4 billion aid package.
“It’s only fair to acknowledge the contributions of someone who is currently facing difficulties. I also welcome Khaleda Zia’s release from jail. Had Sheikh Hasina done this earlier, she might still be Prime Minister,” he added.
Minority group reports attacks on Hindu homes and temples in Bangladesh post-Hasina
Hundreds of Hindu homes, businesses, and temples have been vandalised since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a community association reported on Tuesday.
Hindus make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million population and have historically supported Hasina’s Awami League party, which identifies as largely secular, as opposed to the opposition bloc that includes a hardline Islamist party.
India, currently sheltering Hasina after she fled on Monday amid deadly protests following 15 years in power, stated that what was “particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses, and temples also came under attack at multiple locations.”
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) reported that 200-300 primarily Hindu homes and businesses have been vandalized since Monday, with 15-20 Hindu temples damaged. Up to 40 people have been injured, though none seriously, according to its general secretary, Rana Dasgupta, who spoke to Reuters.
Muhammad Yunus says ready to head interim govt
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus stated on Tuesday that he is prepared to lead an interim government in Bangladesh following mass protests that led to the departure of longtime ruler Sheikh Hasina, according to news agency AFP.
“I am honoured by the trust of the protesters who wish for me to lead the interim government,” he expressed in a written statement to AFP.
“If action is needed in Bangladesh, for my country and for the courage of my people, then I will take it,” he added, also advocating for “free elections.”
Major reshuffle in top ranks of army, says report
The Bangladesh Army has announced changes to several top-level positions, according to the Dhaka Tribune. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) shared the details in a press release on Tuesday.
Major General Ziaul Ahsan has been removed from his position.
Who is Mohammed Shahabuddin, President of Bangladesh?
Here are five facts about Shahabuddin: Since Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure to India on Monday, Mohammed Shahabuddin, who has been Bangladesh’s president since April 2023, is now the country’s sole top constitutional authority.
Born in 1949 in Pabna, which was part of East Pakistan before Bangladesh gained independence. As a student, he was actively involved in the struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971.
In 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the independence leader and father of Hasina, appointed Shahabuddin as the district joint secretary of the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League, a political organization representing farmers and workers that was affiliated with the Awami League party.
Shahabuddin spent three years in prison following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.
A former district judge, Shahabuddin led an investigative panel that examined violence against Awami League members and supporters during the party’s time in opposition.
When Hasina became prime minister, Shahabuddin was elected unopposed as the president of Bangladesh.
Source: Hindustantimes
