Dhaka: The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Bangladesh interim government led by Nobel laureate and economist Muhammad Yunus on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladesh's interim government on August 8, days after Sheikh Hasina resigned as PM and left the country amid widespread unrest.
At least 17 members of Bangladesh's interim government took their oath at a ceremony in Dhaka on Thursday, Yunus was sworn in as the chief of a team comprising 15 advisers. Bangladesh's President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Yunus for his role as chief advisor, which is the equivalent of a Prime Minister.
The ceremony was attended by several foreign diplomats, civil society members, top businessmen, and former opposition party members at the presidential palace in Dhaka. Notably, no representatives from Sheikh Hasina's party, the Awami League, were present after the massive anti-government protests that engulfed Bangladesh for weeks.
PM Modi congratulates Bangladesh's chief advisor
The 84-year-old Yunus was recommended for the role by student protesters and returned to Dhaka earlier on Thursday from Paris, where he was undergoing medical treatment. The key tasks for Yunus now are restoring peace in Bangladesh and preparing for new elections following weeks of violence in which student activists led an uprising against what was considered Hasina’s increasingly autocratic 15-year rule.
A harsh critic of Hasina, Yunus became emotional and seemed to hold his tears back at the airport as he referred to a student he said had been shot during the protests and that their sacrifices could not be forgotten. PM Modi was among the first leaders to extend best wishes to Yunus saying India was hoping for an "early return to normalcy" in Bangladesh that would also ensure the safety and protection of all Hindus and other minority communities.
"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 fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development," PM Modi wrote on X.
Yunus' remarks on India
Hasina quit earlier this week after several chaotic weeks that began in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that critics said favoured people with connections to Hasina’s party. the demonstrations soon grew into a bigger challenge for Hasina’s 15-year rule as more than 450 people including students were killed amid spiralling violence.
India on Thursday expressed hope for the early restoration of law and order in Bangladesh and said the country's interests are foremost for the Indian government. Yunus had criticised India's close relationship with Hasina, saying it "earned the enmity of the Bangladeshi people" but said there will be several opportunities to heal these rifts.
"Although some countries, such as India, backed the ousted prime minister and earned the enmity of the Bangladeshi people as a result, there will be many opportunities to heal these kinds of rifts and to resume bilateral alliances and close friendships soon," he wrote in an article in The Economist.
(with ANI inputs)
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