New Delhi:

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus – who last week took oath as head of Bangladesh’s interim government – has heaped praise on students who spearheaded protests against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “There is no doubt… because of the student-led revolution the whole government collapsed…” Mr Yunus told reporters after a Sunday night meet with the students.

“I said (to the students), ‘I respect you… I admire you. What you have done is absolutely unparalleled… and because you ordered me to do this (to take charge of the interim administration) I accept…’,” Mr Yunus said, recounting part of the conversation he had with the students.

Two of the student protesters – Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud – are part of a 16-member advisory council that was sworn in with Mr Yunus. The 84-year-old won the 2006 Nobel Peace prize for his work in microfinance and setting up the Grameen Bank, which works for community development.

READ | Md Yunus Takes Oath As Head Of Bangladesh Interim Government

Mr Yunus has also stressed the wave of resignations of high-ranking public officials, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and head of Bangladesh’s central bank, was “conducted legally”.

They had reportedly been issued ultimatums to quit.

READ | Why Bangladesh Chief Justice, Sheikh Hasina Loyalist, Was Forced To Quit

“They want to have a new court,” he said of the students. “So they went there and asked the chief justice to resign and put their pressure to make him resign.”

“I’m sure they will find the legal way to justify all of this, because legally… all the steps were followed,” he said. His office only agreed to publish these quotes Monday evening.

“The Monster Is Gone”

“Finally, this moment, the monster is gone,” Mr Yunus also said, referring to Ms Hasina’s departure and the end of what her critics said was an autocratic rule that stifled all dissent. 

However, Mr Yunus warned the interim government that public goodwill is a limited resource and that they would face many difficult decisions ahead. “The moment you start taking decisions, some people will like your decisions, some people will not like your decisions,” he said. “…that’s the way it works.”

Interim Bangladesh Government

The interim government was formed after Bangladesh witnessed weeks of violence and clashes – triggered by protests over a jobs quota – forced Ms Hasina, a five-time PM, to resign and flee.

READ | Explained: How Gen Z Women And Military Transformed Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina left the Prime Minister’s residence in Dhaka – hours before it was overrun – and flew to India in a Bangladeshi military aircraft. The 76-year-old, seen as a key ally of New Delhi, remains in an undisclosed location amid reports she will seek political asylum, possibly in the United Kingdom.

Following Ms Hasina’s departure Md Yunus – who faced multiple corruption charges under the previous government and was in Europe while Sheikh Hasina was in power – was picked by the protesting to oversee democratic reforms.

His first act after being administered an oath of office – and taking the title of ‘chief advisor’ – was to lead a solemn tribute to the more than 450 people who died in the protests.

READ | Muhammad Yunus Honours Heroes, First Act As Bangladesh Interim Leader

It is unclear when Bangladesh will hold an election to select a new Prime Minister. Whenever that is, Mrs Hasina is likely to return to contest, her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy told The Times of India. “She will go back to Bangladesh the moment the interim government decides to hold an election,” he said.

India Extends “Best Wishes”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to Mr Yunus,

READ |PM Extends Best Wishes To Yunus, “Hopes For Safety Of Hindus”

“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 wrote on X. 

READ | How Sheikh Hasina’s Ouster Affects India-Bangladesh Ties

With the change of guard in neighbouring Bangladesh, the Indian government now faces a diplomatic dilemma, even as China was also swift to welcome Dhaka’s new authorities, saying it “attaches importance to the development” of relations.

With input from agencies

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Dhaka:

One day after the military took control of Bangladesh following the ouster of the prime minister, the parliament in the capital Dhaka was busy with protesters coming to celebrate.

More than a month of deadly protests in which at least 422 people were killed culminated Monday in the deadliest day of violence and the end of the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina, who fled by helicopter to India.

“It’s the freedom of the young generation,” said student Parvez Hossain, 30, among the crowds in front of the building, which was empty of lawmakers after parliament was dissolved.

Protesters stormed the building on Monday, jumping on tables and setting off what appeared to be smoke bombs.

Hossain spoke of his hope for a new start and idealism for a better future.

“Now we have regained the freedom of Bangladesh,” he said. “We want to build the country in a new way again.”

The unrest began last month with student-led protests against civil service job quotas and escalated into mass demonstrations calling for Hasina, who had been in power since 2009, to quit.

But while busy streets and open shops in Dhaka gave the initial appearance that daily life was nearly back to business as usual, at least 10 people were killed on Tuesday, and security remained a concern.

The charred ruins of offices of the former ruling party and looted houses of those seen loyal to Hasina showed the scale of bitter violence in the chaos at the end of her rule.

That included violence against police who reported revenge attacks by those who blamed officers for trying to crush protests with deadly force.

‘Anger of the people’

Police unions said their members had gone on strike Tuesday “until the security of every member of the police is secured”.

The union also apologised for police actions against the protesters.

With the police on strike, citizens took it upon themselves to direct traffic, with students standing at junctions and bringing some order to the stream of cars.

Nazrul Islam, 60, who works in pharmaceuticals, said students had lit the spark to allow people to protest wider grievances.

“With the students’ protest, the anger of the people also burst. It was impossible to stop this wave,” he said.

“Everyone had a hidden anger. Now we just want that no dictator can come to power again.”

Some businesses and homes owned by Hindus — a group seen by some in the Muslim-majority nation as close to Hasina — were also attacked, witnesses said.

Bangladeshi rights groups, as well as US and European Union diplomats, said Tuesday they were “very concerned” about reports of attacks on religious, ethnic and other minority groups.

Curious citizens, meanwhile, picked through the ransacked interior of Hasina’s palace in Dhaka, clicking photographs in front of her trashed furniture and marvelling at the opulent luxury.

Bangladesh’s new leadership now rests on the powerful army who have said they will form an interim government.

But whatever the future may be, 60-year-old bicycle rickshaw taxi driver Nurul Islam said he was pleased Hasina was gone.

“People didn’t have any peace for the last 15 years,” he said, pausing to rest in the bustling street.

“She was not elected even by the people’s votes; rather, she captured power as a dictator.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)