Bangladesh LIVE: Must control conspirators who are creating chaos, says Yunus after swearing-in
A 16-member council of advisers was announced to assist Yunus in running the state's affairs. Md. Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, were also part of the advisory council.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath on Thursday (August 8) as the head of an interim government, replacing Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus, 84, was administered the oath of office by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at a ceremony at the presidential palace 'Bangabhaban'.
A 16-member council of advisers was announced to assist Yunus in running the state's affairs. Md. Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, were also part of the advisory council.
"As the first call of duty, we will control the conspirators...who have created an anarchic situation and panic to upset our freedom," Yunus said in a televised address shortly after taking oath. He was sworn in as the chief advisor - a position equivalent to prime minister.
Leaders of political parties, judges, representatives of various organizations, chiefs of the three services, inspector general of police, senior military and civil officers, diplomats including Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma, freedom fighters, senior journalists and other dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
Women's rights activist Farida Akhtar, right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam's deputy chief AFM Khalid Hossain, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Supradip Chakma, Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy and former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain are among the advisory council members.
Roy, Chakma and Bir Pratik Faruk-e-Azam could not take the oath as they were outside Dhaka.
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Over 50 noted personalities from West Bengal wrote to Bangladesh president Mohammed Shahabuddin and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who took oath as the head of an interim government, urging them to ensure the safety of all sections of society.
Among the signatories of the letter were filmmaker Aparna Sen, educationist Pabitra Sarkar and former Supreme Court judge Ashok Ganguly.
In the letter, they voiced concern over the attack on minorities in Bangladesh, while hailing instances of one community protecting the places of worship of another community.
"The people of Bangladesh will decide what kind of political and administrative leadership will come in the country, but we appeal to both the current administration and also to the common people of Bangladesh, particularly the students who have brought about this change through the anti-quota and anti-discrimination movement, to ensure the safety and security of each Bangladeshi citizen irrespective of religion, political affinity and profession," said the letter, written in Bengali.
"We are deeply concerned with the present developments in Bangladesh... Bangladesh is just not a neighbouring country for the people of West Bengal in terms of location, but also a neighbour at heart, as we share language, culture and history," it added.
The noted personalities said that they wrote the letter as the country has been on the boil and many of them were receiving calls from Bangladeshi friends from all over the world on the deteriorating situation.
A copy of the letter was also sent to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended best wishes to Muhammad Yunus as he took oath as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh, hoping for early return of normalcy and ensuring safety of Hindus and other minority communities in that country.
In a post on X, Modi said, "My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities." "India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development," he said.
Nobel Laureate economist Muhammad Yunus has urged people to maintain calm and said that the it is their "first responsibility" to ensure that no attack is carried out against anyone in the country. He is set to lead the interim government in Bangladesh after violent protests unseated the Sheikh Hasina-led administration
The ministry of external affairs on Thursday said that Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus.
Following are the advisory council members:
1. Professor Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser
2. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of BELA
3. Farida Akhtar, women’s rights activist
4. Adilur Rahman Khan, founder of Odhikar
5. AFM Khalid Hossain, Hefazat-e-Islam nayeb-e-ameer and Islami Andolan Bangladesh adviser
6. Nurjahan Begum, Grameen Telecom trustee
7. Sharmeen Murshid, freedom fighter
8. Supradip Chakma, chairman CHTDB
Professor Muhammad Yunus reached Bangabhaban at 8:45pm. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at 9 pm.
BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khosru, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Amanullah Aman, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Tabith Awal, and Mizanur Rahman Minu, are present at the swearing-in venue.