Formation of interim govt: A timeline on developments

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has reached the country. The flight carrying him is scheduled to land in Dhaka today, Thursday at around 2:10 pm. Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman and others greeted him at the airport.

Preparations are underway to hold the oath-taking ceremony of the interim government tonight.

Army chief General Wakar-Uz-Zaman said in a press conference on Wednesday that the members of the interim government could be 15.

However, it is not yet confirmed as to whom else will be included in the interim government. There have been various talks regarding this in the political arena. There have been discussions on the tenure of the interim government also.

The Students Against Discrimination has prepared a list of 15 persons for the interim government. The list will be finalised after discussing with Dr. Muhammad Yunus upon his return.

Several BNP leaders said the Students Against Discrimination leaders met BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to discuss the list with him.

The Sheikh Hasina government resigned in the face of massive movement of students and common people. There has been virtually no government in the country for three days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in the face of the student movement.

Md Asaduzzaman has been appointed as the new attorney general. His appointment was confirmed in a notification published today, Thursday.

There have been no traffic police on the roads for three days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). Therefore, the students and representatives of other voluntary organisations are controlling traffic in the city for the third consecutive day.

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus said, “This new victory marks a new beginning for the country. We have to move forward. We are grateful to those who have done that. They (the student coordinators) have saved our nation. It’s a rebirth of the nation.”

Dr Muhammad Yunus said in a crying voice, “I remember Abu Sayeed today. An unbelievably courageous youth he was! His image is engraved in the hearts of every person in the country. The country has been liberated for the second time with this.”

Professor Yunus couldn’t hold his tears at this time. The Nobel laureate said this upon his return to the country from France at0 2:10 pm Thursday.

He said maintaining law and order would be his first task.  He urged everyone to refrain from carrying out any attack.

Dr Yunus said, “Have trust in me, no will be under attack.”

He also termed the revolution staged by the students and people as the “second liberation” of the country and said, “We must uphold this freedom. Each person of the country must enjoy the benefits of this freedom. This freedom means, this country is now in your (the youth) hands. Let’s build the country the way you want. You can change it entirely. Oust the olds. You have creativity and make the most of it.”

Professor Yunus further said, “The government had turned into a machine of repression. A government cannot be like that. Rather, the government was supposed to be the source of people’s happiness. The government was supposed to protect the people. The entire Bangladesh is like a family.”

Speaking regarding the existing situation in the country, “People are attacking people. The minorities are being attacked. It’s our duty to protect everyone. Every man and woman is our family. Disorder is the biggest enemy of progress. So maintaining law and order is our first priority.”

The ministry of information and broadcasting has issued an order, lifting the temporary ban on Diganta TV.

The information and broadcasting ministry has ordered the reassignment of 42 public relations officers (PROs) from various ministries and departments back to the press information department (PID).

Ajijul Islam, deputy secretary of the ministry, issued the order following confirmation from due authorities.

The swearing-in ceremony for the interim government is scheduled to take place today, Thursday, at 8:30 pm, according to sources from Bangabhaban.

Earlier, Dr Muhammad Yunus landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka from Paris in France at 2:10 pm. 

In preparation for the new government, some 21 vehicles, including a BMW reserved for the chief advisor, have been positioned in the parking zone in front of the cabinet division at the secretariat.

Some 21 vehicles, including a BMW, have been kept stand-by at the secretariat, for the interim government members who are scheduled to take oath at 8:30 pm today. 

According to a Prothom Alo reporter at the secretariat, the vehicles were sent from the transport pool and have now been parked at the parking zone in front of the cabinet division. 

Those will be dispatched soon to the residences of the chief advisor and other advisors of the new government. They will use the vehicles to travel to the Bangabhaban for the swearing-in ceremony.

Bangladesh has been without an official government for four days following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina through a student-led mass movement. All sides have already reached a consensus that Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus will lead the interim government. 

On the previous day, the chief of army staff, General Wakar-Uz-Zaman, announced that the interim government might consist of 15 advisers.

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus is all set to assume the position of chief advisor to the upcoming interim government.

According to the government accommodation directorate, state guest house Jamuna has been prepared to serve as both the residence and office for Dr Yunus in his new capacity.

The interim government is scheduled to take oath at 8:30 pm today. It is likely to comprise 15 members.

Bangladesh has been without an official government for four days following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina through a student-led mass movement.

Vehicles have departed from the secretariat this evening to take the chief advisor and other advisors of the new interim government from their respective residences.

The interim government members will later go to the Bangabhaban to take oath at 8:30 pm.

There was a high-level meeting at the army headquarters in the afternoon, in participation of  Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, chiefs of Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mainul Islam, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mainul Hasan. 

The meeting decided on a strong stance by the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to prevent ongoing anarchy, arson, and vandalism across the country, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate. 

In a press release, the ISPR also noted that following the departure of Sheikh Hasina, there were incidents of attacks, vandalism, and arson at different places across the country.

Awami League men, alongside various police stations and members of minority groups, came under attacks, while a sense of fear developed among the residents of Dhaka due to incidents of night-time robbery at different spots. 

The meeting also discussed the resumption of operations in all police stations within the next 24 hours, according to the ISPR release.

The former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, will take a decision on herself about her next destination, says India.

Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Indian external affairs ministry, made the statement at a weekly press briefing on Thursday.

In response to a query, he said, “We do not have an update on her plans…It will not be appropriate for me to comment on her plans. It is for her to take this forward.”

He later said, “We hope for the early restoration of the law and order situation in Bangladesh. This is both in the interest of Bangladesh as a whole and the larger region as a whole.”

In the face of a student-led mass uprising, Sheikh Hasina stepped down as the prime minister and went to India under a special arrangement.

Dr Muhammad Yunus is going to take oath as the chief advisor to the interim government. As per unofficial sources, the other advisors are as follows –  

1. Saleh Uddin Ahmed

2. Dr Asif Nazrul

3. Adilur Rahman Khan

4. Hasan Arif

5. Touhid Hossain

6. Syeda Rizwana Hasan

7. Md Nahid Islam

8. Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan

9. Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain 

10. Supradip Chakma 

11. Farida Akhter

12. Bidhan Ranjan Roy

13. AFM Khalid Hasan

14. Noorjahan Begum 

15. Sharmeen Murshid

16. Faruk-e-Azam

The would-be advisors have arrived at Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president, to take oath. The swearing-in ceremony will begin soon. 

Other dignitaries are also present there.

It will be the main job for the interim government to reform the state, eliminate discrimination and establish human rights as well as good governance, says Syeda Rizwana Hasan. 

She is now at Bangabhaban and going to be sworn in as an advisor to the interim government. 

While speaking to the media, she laid emphasis on reformation. In response to a query on the tenure of the government, she said, “Please do not ask any embarrassing and difficult questions. Just like you, I have come here to work.” 

When asked about the interim government’s main objective, she said, “The main objective will be establishing human rights, eliminating discrimination, and establishing good governance.”  

Apart from her, other would-be advisors have also arrived at the Bangabhaban and taken their respective seats. 

The interim government is going to be sworn in soon.

President Mohammad Shahabuddin and would-be chief advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus entered the hall room. The swearing-in ceremony for the interim government begins with the national anthem.

The participants observe a one-minute silence to show respect to the people who were killed during the student-led mass movement.

Dr Muhammad Yunus is taking oath as the chief advisor to the interim government. President Shahabuddin is reading out the oath sentences, while Dr Yunus is repeating it.

The advisors to interim government are being sworn-in at Bangabhaban. Bidhan Ranjan Roy, Faruk-e-Azam, and Supradip Chakma could not take oath as they are outside the capital.

President Mohammad Shahabuddin is administering the oath.

Cabinet secretary Mahbub Hossain announced the end to the swearing-in ceremony. He moderated the entire programme.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to Dr Muhammad Yunus, who has just been sworn-in as the chief advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh.

In a message on X, he expressed hope for a swift return to normalcy in Bangladesh and laid emphasis on ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and other minority communities.

Narendra Modi also reaffirmed his country's commitment to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both nations for peace, security, and development.