New Delhi: Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged stay in India is not making it any new friends in Bangladesh. Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Awamy League’s main rival, is unhappy with India hosting the ousted former prime minister.
Hasina fled the violence-torn nation on Monday, arriving in India, where she awaits a decision on her asylum application to the United Kingdom.
‘Mutual cooperation must’
Talking to the Times of India from Dhaka, veteran BNP leader Gayeshwar Roy said that BNP believed Bangladesh and India must have mutual cooperation.
“Indian govt will have to understand and behave in a manner which follows that spirit. But if you help our enemy then it becomes difficult for that mutual cooperation to be honoured,” said Roy, to Times of India, who was a minister in the BNP-led govt in 1991.
Muhammad Yunus takes charge
Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government, replacing Sheikh Hasina. Yunus, 84, took the oath of office administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin during a ceremony at the presidential palace. He was sworn in as Chief Advisor, a role equivalent to that of prime minister.
A 16-member council of advisers was also announced to support Yunus in managing state affairs. Among them were Md. Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key figures in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
In a televised address shortly after his swearing-in, Yunus declared his first priority to be the control of “conspirators” who had created chaos and fear to destabilise the country’s freedom.
Indian High Commissioner attends swearing-in ceremony
The ceremony was attended by political leaders, judges, representatives of various organisations, military and civil officials, and diplomats, including Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma, along with freedom fighters, senior journalists, and other dignitaries.
The advisory council includes women’s rights activist Farida Akhtar, AFM Khalid Hossain of the right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board chairman Supradip Chakma, Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy, and former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain.
The interim government is tasked with leading the country temporarily and overseeing the elections to ensure a smooth transition to an elected government.