Nobel laureate professor Mohammad Yunus will return home from Paris today to lead the interim government to be formed following the recent political changeover spurred by a student-led mass uprising.聽
Army chief general Waker-Uz-Zaman, at a press briefing at Dhaka cantonment in the capital, told reporters that the swearing-in ceremony of the interim government led by Yunus would likely take place around 8:00pm on Thursday at Bangabhaban.
Yunus, in a statement, congratulated the brave students, who took the lead in making their 鈥楽econd Victory Day鈥� possible, and the people for giving their total support to them.
鈥楲et us make the best use of our new victory. Let us not let this slip away because of our mistakes,鈥� he said, indirectly referring to the student-led uprising that ended the 15-year rule of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.
His statement came a day after Yunus was chosen to lead an interim government by the students who led the recent anti-government protests.
He also appealed to all students, members of all political parties, and non-political people to stay calm amid reports of dozens being killed in fresh violence following the resignation of Hasina, who fled the country.
鈥楾his is our beautiful country with lots of exciting possibilities. We must protect and make it a wonderful country for us and for our future generations,鈥� he said.
鈥業f we take the path of violence, everything will be destroyed. Please stay calm. Help those around you to stay calm,鈥� said added, who was acquitted by the Labour Appellate Tribunal in Dhaka that dismissed his six-month jail sentence handed down to him and three others in January.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday night decided to form an interim government headed by the globally acclaimed Nobel laureate.
The decision came from a lengthy meeting held at Bangabhaban, where the chief of three defence services, two teachers of Dhaka University, and coordinators of the Student Movement Against Discrimination were present.
In the meeting, student representatives proposed an interim government headed by Yunus. President Sahabuddin agreed with their proposal, Bangabhaban said slightly before zero hours.
On Wednesday, army chief Waker assured Yunus of all cooperation in performing his role as head of the interim government.
Waker said that the interim cabinet of advisers would be formed by around 15 members, with Yunus being the chief adviser, a position equivalent to the prime minister, but preferred not to elaborate on the issue as it had not been formalised.
鈥業 had talked with Professor Yunus over phone... he was on his way back home from Paris on an Emirates flight, adding that. I felt very good as he is so interested in leading the upcoming administration to carry Bangladesh forward to a brighter future,鈥� Waker said.
About the ongoing lawlessness, the army chief said that there were incidents of looting and anarchy after the ouster of the Awami League government as the police forces became totally dysfunctional and it was not possible on the part of the military along with the navy and air force troops to fill up the void.
鈥楤ut we will do everything possible to expose the culprits to justice,鈥� he said, adding that the police force was being reorganised with the appointment of a new inspector general, who by now asked all policemen to report to their workplaces across Bangladesh.
He said that the Air Force and the Bangladesh Navy were cooperating with him.
He also thanked the students and volunteers who were working on traffic management and cleaning the city.
He requested that the students continue their activities.
