Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus returned Thursday to Bangladesh to lead an interim government, following the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus, 84, landed at Dhaka’s Hasrat Shahjalal International Airport on a flight from Paris and was welcomed by the country’s military chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, and other high-ranking military officers. He received a bouquet of flowers from supporters.
He is scheduled to be sworn in as head of the country’s interim government Thursday night.
“Today is a glorious day for us,” Yunus told a news conference at the airport. “Bangladesh has created a new victory day. Bangladesh has got a second independence,” he said.
Yunus’ appointment by the military chief follows the unrest that led to the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The unrest began with protests against a government job quota system and expanded into broader opposition to Hasina’s long tenure, marked by allegations of human rights abuses and election rigging.
More than 300 people died in the initial weeks of the protests.
Zaman said in a televised address Wednesday that those responsible for recent violence will be held accountable.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who is currently a ceremonial leader, dissolved Parliament on Tuesday. This move has paved the way for Yunus to lead the interim government, though the timing of new elections remains uncertain.
Yunus, an economist and banker who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work with microcredit through Grameen Bank, has been recognized for his efforts in reducing poverty through small loans.
In his first statement since being appointed, Yunus praised the students for their role in recent protests and urged calm. He stressed the need to avoid further violence and focus on rebuilding the country.
As the country shifted to the interim government, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, held a rally in Dhaka. The rally was led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who was recently released from house arrest.
Zia, who served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, was convicted of corruption in 2018 and sentenced to 17 years in prison. Her party claims the charges were politically motivated.
Supporters gathered for the BNP rally in Dhaka’s Naya Paltan area hours before it began, reflecting the evolving political situation.
Former Prime Minister Hasina, 76, was reelected for a fourth term in January, but the election faced criticism as flawed. The U.S. and U.K. condemned the results.
On Wednesday, Dhaka was relatively calm following recent violence. Student volunteers were seen cleaning streets and managing traffic, and the police presence was minimal.
Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters.
