Bangladesh Crisis: Nobel Laureate Yunus Ready to Lead Caretaker Government

AFP/APP

Dhaka: Bangladesh Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is ready to head a caretaker government, a day after the military took control as mass protests forced long-time ruler Sheikh Hasina to flee.

“If action is needed in Bangladesh, for my country, and for the courage of my people, then I will take it,” stated Yunus, also calling for “free elections”, after student leaders called for him to lead an interim government.

Microfinance pioneer Yunus, 84, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty, earning the enmity of ousted Hasina and the wide respect of millions of Bangladeshis.

Hasina, 76, had been in power since 2009 but was accused of rigging elections in January and then watched millions of people take to the streets over the past month demanding she quit.

Hundreds of people were killed as security forces sought to quell the unrest, but the protests grew, and Hasina finally fled aboard a helicopter on Monday after the military turned against her.

Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced Monday that the military would form an interim government, saying it was time to stop the violence.

President dissolved parliament on Tuesday, a key demand of the student leaders and the major opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) which has demanded elections within three months.