- Yunus sworn in as interim Bangladesh leader
- He took the oath at Dhaka’s presidential palace, accompanied by his new cabinet members
- Student leaders Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, who played key roles in the recent anti-government protests are part of his cabinet
- New leader comes after former PM resigned and fled to India following weeks of deadly riots
Yunus sworn in as interim Bangladesh leader
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, has been sworn in as Bangladesh’s interim leader, pledging to uphold the constitution and restore democracy. He took the oath at Dhaka’s presidential palace, accompanied by his new cabinet members, including student leaders Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, who played key roles in the recent anti-government protests.
This transition comes after Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s long-time prime minister, resigned and fled to India following weeks of deadly student-led protests demanding her removal.
Yunus’ appointment as interim leader was the result of a meeting between President Mohammed Shahabuddin, military officials, and student leaders, who insisted on civilian leadership.
The hope is Prof Yunus, the so-called banker for the poor, will bring democracy back to Bangladesh after years of autocratic rule.
My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 8, 2024
Following Prof Yunus’s swearing in, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his “best wishes”, writing on X/Twitter that his government was “committed” to working with its neighbour for “peace, security and development”.
