The leader of the protest movement, which led to the demonstrations that eventually led to the resignation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed yesterday, now wants to head the transitional government in the country to be the Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus, the world agencies reported, quoted by BTA.
"We have decided that an interim government should be formed with a chief adviser, that is, with the head of the government, Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who has international authority,” said Nahid Islam, the main leader of the group “Students Vs. the discrimination" that caused mass protests in the country.
Yesterday Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqer Uz Zaman announced the resignation of Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who had been in power since 2009. He said an interim government would be formed quickly. The general will also have a meeting with the leaders of the student movement later today.
Muhammad Yunus, who is 84 years old, is known for lifting millions of people out of poverty thanks to his microcredit bank. Because of this, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
He is now in Europe. And an aide of his said that so far he has not received any offer from the Bangladesh army to become prime minister of the interim government.
366 people have died in protests in Bangladesh since July, according to police figures. The demonstrations, which turned into clashes, were sparked by a change in the provisions of the law on quotas for appointments in the Bangladeshi administration.
Textile factories in the country will remain closed today, said a representative of the Association of Textile Manufacturers and Exporters, Reuters reported.
On Sunday, during the protests, four textile factories were set on fire on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka.
The airport in the capital is resuming work, adds TASS.