Bangladesh Interim Govt Led By Muhammed Yunus To Take Oath Today, Likely To Have 15-Member Advisory Team

Bangladesh: Local media reported on Wednesday evening that Bangladesh's interim government will take oath on Thursday night. According to the Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, announced that the oath-taking ceremony will be held at 8 pm on Thursday.

At a press briefing at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday, General Waker-Uz-Zaman mentioned that there was a proposal to hold the oath-taking ceremony in the afternoon.

He explained that holding the ceremony in the afternoon would be too rushed since Dr. Yunus is expected to arrive around 2:10 pm, making it difficult to organize everything in time. Therefore, the ceremony will likely be held at around 8 pm and will accommodate 400 people.

The Army chief also mentioned that the new government will probably have about 15 members at first, but one or two more people might be added later.

Bangladesh Interim Government Setup: Muhammad Yunus To Lead After Hasina’s Resignation

President Mohammed Shahabuddin chose 84-year-old Muhammad Yunus to lead the new interim government. Yunus was selected after student protesters, who forced Hasina to flee to India, demanded that he head the new government.

Yunus, who is currently in Paris, is expected to return to Bangladesh on Thursday.

Before leaving Paris, where he was receiving medical treatment while out on bail from criminal cases under Hasina, Yunus told Reuters, "Let’s make the most of our new victory. I strongly urge everyone to stay calm and avoid all forms of violence."

Outside the airport, he told reporters, "I’m excited to return home and see what’s happening. I want to figure out how we can resolve the problems we’re facing."

Yunus, an economist who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for starting a bank that fights poverty with small loans, said, "I’ll go and talk to them. I’m new to this area."

The interim government is being set up in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister on Monday. She stepped down due to nationwide violence over a job quota that reserved 30 percent of jobs for the families of 1971 war veterans. Protesters had called for her resignation.

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