In a significant development, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has dissolved parliament, a key demand of student protesters who led demonstrations that ousted longtime ruler, Sheikh Hasina.
According to a statement released by the press secretary of President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday, “The president has dissolved parliament.” This move comes after student protesters vowed to push for Nobel laureate, Muhammad Yunus, to lead an interim government.
The main leader of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), Nahid Islam, said in a video message, “We have decided that the interim government would be formed in which internationally renowned Nobel Laureate, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who has wide acceptability, would be the chief adviser.”
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Bangladesh Army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, announced on Monday that Sheikh Hasina had resigned as prime minister and the military would form a caretaker government. Waker is expected to meet with student leaders later on Tuesday.
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Yunus, 84, a respected economist, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering microfinance bank but earned the enmity of Hasina, who accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor.
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 step down.