Bangladesh interim govt to be sworn-in today

New Delhi, Aug 07: Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced today that the interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, will be sworn in tomorrow evening, as reported by the local Bangladesh media.

During a press conference this afternoon, General Waker specified that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 8:00 pm. According to the Daily Star newspaper, he mentioned that the advisory council is likely to comprise 15 members.

General Waker expressed optimism that normalcy would return within three to four days, noting significant improvements in the situation across the country. He assured that those responsible for recent crimes would face legal action. The army chief emphasised the unity among the military branches, stating that both the air force and navy chiefs support him, and they are working together to restore order.

General Waker shared his recent conversation with Prof Yunus, expressing confidence in the Nobel laureate’s commitment to guiding the nation towards a democratic process.

Bangladesh has been plunged into uncertainty following the resignation and fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, amidst a mass uprising against her Awami League government.

In the ensuing violence and riots, at least 142 people have lost their lives. The unrest originated from student protests demanding reforms to the quota system in public service jobs. Over the past three weeks, more than 400 people have been killed in violent clashes.

The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Md Mainul Islam, has instructed all policemen to return to their respective posts to restore public order. “We want to start anew to ensure the safety of people’s lives. Therefore, all are instructed to return to their respective workplaces within the next 24 hours … by Thursday evening (August 8),” Mainul stated during his first briefing at police headquarters. Most of the policemen are demanding their security as more than 400 police stations have been attacked by the mob in the last two weeks and dozens of policemen were killed.

Mainul’s appointment follows the removal of Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun as IGP, due to the complete breakdown of law and order in the wake of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation

Mainul announced that officers from all metropolitan, district, river police, railway, and highway police stations are to join their respective police lines within 24 hours.

He detailed the formation of citizen security committees for each police station’s jurisdiction area, comprising senior citizens, professionals, student representatives, political figures, and media personnel, to ensure the security of police stations and surrounding areas.

In a bid to maintain discipline within the police force, Mainul directed his colleagues to avoid making any demands, comments, or replies through personal, association, or social media channels.