Bangladesh interim govt sworn in with Muhammad Yunus as chief advisor

Dhaka: Seventeen members of Bangladesh's interim government took their oaths at a ceremony in Dhaka on Thursday, Bangladesh-based daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Yunus Named Chief Advisor
Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus, 84, was sworn in as the country’s chief advisor.

Interim Government Members
The interim government members include Muhammad Yunus, Salehuddin Ahmed, Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Md Nazrul Islam (Asif Nazrul), Adilur Rahman Khan, AF Hassan Ariff, Md Touhid Hossain, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Supradip Chakma, Farida Akhter, Bidhan Ranjan Roy, Sharmeen Murshid, AFM Khalid Hossain, Farooq-e-Azam, Nurjahan Begum, Nahid Islam, and Asif Mahmud, as reported by Dhaka Tribune.

Crisis Sparks International Attention
Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday night, three days after Sheikh Hasina resigned from the position of Prime Minister and left the country amid widespread unrest.

US Hopes for Democratic Future
As the crisis in Bangladesh has attracted international attention, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday the US hopes that the new interim government will pave the way for a democratic future.

Communication with Interim Government
Miller noted that the US has communicated with the interim government, including attending the swearing-in of Yunus. "There has been communication with the interim government. Our charge d'affaires attended his swearing-in today. I don’t know if she spoke to him at the swearing-in. Still, she did attend communication with the interim government, not necessarily him personally," Miller said in a press briefing.

US Expectations for Democracy
"One of the things that we have made clear is that we want to see the interim government chart a democratic future for the people of Bangladesh," he added.

No Awami League Representatives Present
Bangladesh’s figurehead President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Yunus for his role as chief advisor, which is equivalent to a Prime Minister. The ceremony was attended by foreign diplomats, civil society members, top businessmen, and former opposition party members at the presidential palace in Dhaka. Notably, no Sheikh Hasina’s party representatives, the Awami League, were present.

 (With ANI inputs)