Nobel Laureate Yunus Returns to Bangladesh to Head New Government
Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus returned to Bangladesh on Thursday to lead a caretaker government after a student-led uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years.
Yunus arrived in Dhaka from Paris via Dubai and is expected to be sworn in later on Thursday. His return follows a dramatic week in which Hasina fled to India after the military turned against her. The military has agreed to Yunus leading an interim government, a decision welcomed by many Bangladeshis.
Yunus, 84, had been abroad on bail following politically motivated charges, but a Dhaka court recently cleared him of these accusations. He is now set to oversee the transition and is hopeful to hold elections within a few months.
Hasina’s departure was precipitated by mass protests against her government, which led to her palace being stormed and looted. The unrest, which began with protests over government job quotas, evolved into a broader anti-Hasina movement, leading to at least 455 deaths.
The military’s shift in support was crucial in Hasina’s downfall. The interim government plans include dissolving parliament and reforming the police, among other changes. The streets of Dhaka have been mostly calm since Tuesday, following the military’s actions and Yunus’s anticipated leadership.
