B’desh: Interim govt announces portfolios
Dhaka: Bangladesh’s newly appointed interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, unveiled the portfolios of his 16-member council of advisors on Friday. The 84-year-old Nobel laureate, sworn in as chief advisor—a position equivalent to prime minister—on Thursday, faces the immediate challenge of restoring stability to a nation rocked by weeks of anti-government protests.
Yunus, a longtime critic of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, assumed leadership following the dissolution of parliament and the toppling of Hasina’s government earlier this week. Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years, fled to India amid the political turmoil in Dhaka.
The interim government, formed in response to calls from student protesters, includes a mix of experienced diplomats, civil society figures, and student leaders. Yunus himself will oversee 27 portfolios, including defence, public administration, education, energy, food, water resources, and information ministries.
In a key appointment, former foreign secretary Mohammad Touhid Hossain was named head of the foreign ministry. Hossain, who served as Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata from 2001 to 2005 and as Foreign Secretary from 2006 to 2009, emphasised the importance of maintaining balanced relations with major powers.
“We want to keep good relations with all. We need to maintain a balance of relations with the big countries,” Hossain stated, highlighting the delicate diplomatic path Bangladesh must navigate in the current global climate.
Other notable appointments include retired Army brigadier general M Sakhawat Hossain overseeing the home ministry, former Bangladesh Bank governor Salahuddin Ahmed in charge of finance and planning, and former attorney general A F Hassan Arif heading the local government ministry.
In a nod to the student movement that played a crucial role in recent events, two coordinators from the Students Against Discrimination group, M Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, have been given charge of the telecommunications and information technology and youth and sports ministries, respectively.
The interim government’s primary focus is on restoring law and order, with other priorities to follow once this goal is achieved. This comes in the wake of widespread unrest that saw police stations attacked, looted, and set on fire, forcing many officers into hiding.
Reports indicate that some police stations are slowly resuming normal activities with military assistance, signalling a gradual return to order. However, the situation remains tense as the new government works to stabilise the country.
The formation of this interim government marks a significant turning point in Bangladesh’s political landscape. It comes after weeks of deadly demonstrations that began as a movement to reform the quota system for government jobs and evolved into a broader uprising against Hasina’s regime.
