Bangladesh student protest coordinators have called for the formation of a new interim government, with Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus as its chief adviser, as revealed in a video posted by the coordinators on Facebook on Tuesday morning.
This call came after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on Monday. In the meantime, the Bangladesh army chief is scheduled to meet the protest coordinators at 12pm local time (0600 GMT) on Tuesday, according to a separate army statement. This meeting is set a day after Zaman announced Hasina's resignation in a televised address and mentioned the formation of an interim government.
Yunus, aged 84, and his Grameen Bank were awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to lift millions out of poverty through small loans of less than $100 to rural poor in Bangladesh. However, he was indicted by a court in June on charges of embezzlement, which he denied. Yunus has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Zaman has engaged in discussions with leaders of major political parties, excluding Hasina's long-ruling Awami League, to map out the future direction and is set to meet with President Mohammed Shahabuddin. President Shahabuddin stated in a late Monday televised address that an interim government will conduct elections as soon as possible after consulting all parties and stakeholders. He also mentioned that it was unanimously decided to immediately release the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and Hasina's rival, Begum Khaleda Zia, who was convicted in a 2018 graft case but was transferred to a hospital a year later due to deteriorating health. Zia denies the charges against her.
A BNP spokesperson confirmed on Monday that Zia, 78, is in the hospital and will legally address all charges and be released soon. Hasina, 76, who has been in power since her victory over Zia in 2009, arrived at a military airfield near Delhi on Monday after departing Dhaka. Two Indian government officials informed Reuters that India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met her there. The details of her stay or plans were not disclosed. The Indian Express newspaper reported that Hasina was taken to a 'safe house' and might travel to the United Kingdom. This report could not be immediately verified by Reuters.
