DHAKA: A jubilant and hopeful Bangladeshi people on Friday welcomed a new interim government headed by Nobel laureate in economics Muhammad Yunus and joined by prominent lawyers, academics and leaders of the student movement that ousted the previous regime.
The new administration was sworn in at the presidential palace in Dhaka on Thursday night, three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to neighboring India after weeks of nationwide protests and a brutal crackdown on demonstrators.
“The brutal and dictatorial regime has gone,” Yunus said in a televised address after President Mohammed Shahabuddin and more than a dozen members of the interim government were sworn in.
He promised that “democracy, justice, human rights and full freedom of expression without fear will be enjoyed by all, regardless of political affiliation.”
The 84-year-old economics professor will lead the country as a “chief adviser” and cabinet members will be referred to as advisers rather than ministers.
They include Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmood, top leaders of the student anti-discrimination group that led the protests that ousted Hasina. They also include government officials such as former Attorney General AF Hassan Arif, former Foreign Minister Tuheed Hossain, and economist and former central bank governor Salehuddin Ahmed.
There is also prominent human rights activist Adilur Rahman Khan, internationally award-winning environmental lawyer Siddhār Rizwana Hasan, and public intellectual Asif Nazrul, a law professor at Dhaka University and author.
As the new administration took over, Bangladeshis were excited about the nomination and were excited about the future of their country.
“After the complete anarchy and the very serious uprisings that we experienced very recently, this is a new dynamic,” scholar and researcher Gautam Barua told Arab News.
“I am very hopeful about this interim government. I have very, very, very high hopes… I think they will bring about beautiful changes.”
He was delighted to see a renowned lawyer and economist taking the helm.
“I think this cabinet has the best talent in the country. They are recognized internationally, nationally and nationally,” Barua said.
“The current economy of this country needs to go up a level… It went down quite sharply during the last government. So I believe they can go up a level. They can turn the wheels of the economy.”
There was also pride in having a government comprised of prominent intellectuals and technical experts.
“I think they can bring about positive change for us,” said Mahfouz Qaiser, a student from Dhaka. “Dr. Yunus is a very famous person. He is a Nobel laureate. He is the first Nobel laureate from Bangladesh.”
Yunus, an economics professor, social entrepreneur and banker, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering microfinance work that helped alleviate poverty in Bangladesh, a work that has been widely adopted around the world.
“He will help us rebuild this country,” said Janatu Ferdous Mawa, a recent protester who is pursuing a degree in media studies.
“Whatever is happening right now, I think it's good for us because we're learning something. One thing we've learned from these protests is that if we come together, we can build this country back up.”
Bangladesh's political transition, which ended Hasina's 15-year rule, followed nationwide protests that began in early July. The system was widely criticized for giving preferential treatment to those linked to the ruling party.
The protests soon turned violent, with security forces and protesters clashing, killing at least 300 people.
After deadly clashes and a week-long communications blackout, the Supreme Court eventually struck down most of the quotas, but the ruling sparked a crackdown on protesters.
The arrests of 11,000 protesters, most of whom were students, sparked fresh protests last week, leading to civil disobedience and Hasina's resignation on Monday.
A day later, the president dissolved parliament, clearing the way for a caretaker administration that will now preside over new elections.
“There are high expectations for this government because it is led by Nobel laureate Professor Yunus. I think everyone is looking forward to his achievements, his progress, his vision. He used to say there are three zeros: zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon. So I think he will work on these three issues,” Dr. Ranak Khan, who teaches anthropology at the University of Dhaka, told Arab News.
“Our institutional infrastructure, the whole picture – we have to build it. The government has to ensure transparency and accountability. My expectations from this government are very high. Not just mine, I think everyone's expectations are high because this government is led by Professor Yunus and it depends on his ability to navigate the complex political environment of Bangladesh.”
