Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, a longtime political adversary of Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has been named the country’s interim leader.
The 84-year-old was appointed shortly after Ms. Hasina fled the country following weeks of deadly protests that led to her resignation.
While Professor Yunus is celebrated for his pioneering work with microloans, Ms. Hasina viewed him as a public enemy. He is currently on bail, appealing a six-month jail term, which he claims is politically motivated.
Students who led the mass protests that resulted in Ms. Hasina’s ousting rejected a military-led government and pushed for Professor Yunus to lead the interim administration.
The decision to appoint Professor Yunus as chief adviser of the interim government came after a meeting between President Mohammed Shahabuddin, military leaders, and student leaders.
“When the students who sacrificed so much are requesting me to step in at this difficult juncture, how can I refuse?” Professor Yunus said.
He is returning to Dhaka from Paris, where he is undergoing a minor medical procedure, according to his spokesperson.
The protests in Bangladesh began in early July with demands from university students to abolish quotas in civil service jobs, but soon expanded into a broader anti-government movement.
Over 400 people are reported to have died in clashes between government forces and protesters, mostly civilians shot by police.
On Monday alone, more than 100 people died across the country, marking the single deadliest day in the movement. Hundreds of police stations were also set on fire.
Hours before protesters stormed and looted the former prime minister’s official residence in Dhaka, Ms. Hasina resigned and fled to neighboring India, abruptly ending her nearly 15-year rule.
Despite economic growth in the past decade, the former prime minister faced increasing criticism for silencing critics and jailing political opponents.
Some, such as ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and activist Ahmad Bin Quasem, were released soon after Ms. Hasina’s departure.
Ms. Zia, who leads the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, boycotted elections in 2014 and 2024, claiming that free and fair polls were not possible under Ms. Hasina.
The 78-year-old was imprisoned in 2018 on corruption charges, which she claimed were politically motivated.
Rights groups say Mr. Quasem was detained in 2016, one of hundreds of forced disappearances during Ms. Hasina’s tenure.
