Pakistan expressed solidarity with the people of Bangladesh, hoping for a “peaceful and swift return to normalcy” following the end of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule after deadly protests.
This statement comes as Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is expected to lead a caretaker government, following student protest leaders’ request. The movement that toppled Hasina began as protests against public sector job quotas for families of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war, viewed by critics as favoring allies of the ruling Awami League party.
“The government and people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the people of Bangladesh, sincerely hoping for a peaceful and swift return to normalcy,” the Foreign Office said. “We are confident that the resilient spirit and unity of the Bangladeshi people will lead them towards a harmonious future,” it added.
More than 400 people have died since July as security forces attempted to quell the unrest, which eventually led to Hasina resigning and fleeing aboard a helicopter on Monday after the military turned against her. Hasina is now in India, staying at a safe house outside New Delhi.
Bangladesh’s army chief, General Wakeruz Zaman, announced that the military would form an interim government, saying it was “time to stop the violence.” The following day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament, meeting a key demand of student leaders and the main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), which has called for elections within three months.
Hasina’s rival, BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was also freed from years of house arrest.
Meanwhile, protest leaders expect members of the interim government, led by Yunus, to be finalized soon. Bangladesh’s president appointed Yunus as the head of the interim government late on Tuesday, with a focus on overcoming the current crisis and preparing for elections.
Yunus urged for calm and encouraged the public to build a better nation. “I fervently appeal to everybody to stay calm. Please refrain from all kinds of violence,” he stated, ahead of his expected return from Europe. “Be calm and get ready to build the country. If we take the path of violence, everything will be destroyed.”
“This is our beautiful country with lots of exciting possibilities,” Yunus added. “We must protect and make it a wonderful country for us and for future generations.” He also congratulated the students who led the protests and called for a peaceful transition to new elections.
Yunus, who is not seeking an elected role beyond the interim period, emphasized the importance of restoring trust in government quickly. “We need calm, a road map to new elections, and preparation for new leadership,” he told the Financial Times.
A court also overturned a conviction against Yunus, acquitting him and three colleagues of labor charges. The charges were criticized as politically motivated by watchdogs, including Amnesty International.
President Shahabuddin recommended that a veteran of the independence war be nominated to the interim government. Nahid Islam, a student leader, stated that an initial list of 10-15 members for the interim government has been shared with the president.
Separately, the BNP held a rally in Dhaka, where their leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, recently freed from house arrest, urged for swift elections. Key political leader Tarique Rahman, speaking from exile in London, called for calm and urged BNP supporters not to take the law into their own hands.
