A caretaker government led by Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus has been sworn in to steer the country through these tumultuous times, but it’s yet to make its presence feel in a country marred by protests.
Yunus, the interim caretaker backed by the military, called for calm during his visit to Rangpur yesterday as he embraced the mother of a student shot dead by the cops. He has also appealed for religious unity amid reports of attacks on the minorities in Bangladesh since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
The latest in the string of resignations is of the country’s central bank chief. Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf stepped down yesterday, three days after over 100 bank officials staged protests outside his office, demanding his resignation. Rouf has cited health reasons for stepping down, reported The Daily Star.
Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, seen as a loyalist of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina, was forced out of his office yesterday as students surrounded the Bangladesh Supreme Court and gave him an hour’s ultimatum to step down. Five more judges of the top court resigned later in the day.
Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, the seniormost judge of the High Court division of the Supreme Court, was appointed the country’s 25th Chief Justice by President Mohammed Shahabuddin last evening.
The chief of the country’s market regulator has also resigned. Prof Shibli Rubayat-Ul Islam, the chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, had not been turning up at work for several days. He, too, cited health reasons for stepping down.
Meanwhile, attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh has raised concerns. Chittagong city saw a massive rally yesterday, attended by tens of thousands of Hindus, demanding safety and equal rights as citizens of the country.
Incidents of violence, too, continue to be reported from across Bangladesh. Five army personnel were injured and a military vehicle was torched during a clash at an Awami League procession in Gopalganj last afternoon.
Bangladesh has reported arson, killings and multiple incidents of persecution of minority communities across 52 districts since Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as the Prime Minister on August 5. Two protesters also suffered injuries.
Ms Hasina fled the country the same day amid fears of being mobbed after protests intensified following the death of over 400 agitators in clashes with the cops. Her residence was stormed by the protesters hours after she left the complex in a military helicopter. She landed at an airbase in Uttar Pradesh, hours later.

Lakhs of Hindus took to the streets in Bangladesh on Saturday to protest against the ongoing attacks on the community after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India on Monday.

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and Chittagong, the second-largest city in the country, witnessed lakhs of people attending the rally.

Members of minority communities in Bangladesh have faced more than 205 incidents of attacks across 52 districts since the fall of the Ms Hasina-led government on August 5.

Hundreds of Hindus are believed to have been injured in attacks on their homes and businesses. Several Hindu temples have also been vandalised and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with Ms Hasina’s Awami League party have so far been killed in the violence.

Thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus have also been trying to flee to neighbouring India to escape the violence.

Demanding special tribunals to expedite trials of those who persecute the minorities, allocation of 10 per cent parliamentary seats for the minorities, and enactment of a minority protection law among others, the Hindu demonstrators’ rally blocked traffic for over three hours at Shahbagh in the central part of Dhaka.

Thousands of Muslim protestors, including students, also joined them expressing solidarity for the cause of minorities.

In Chittagong, a huge gathering was held at the historic Cheragi Pahar Square.

According to some reports, over seven lakh people attended the rally.

Bangladesh’s Interim Leader On Attacks On Hindus

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus on Saturday condemned attacks on the minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as “heinous”.

Mr Yunus, a Nobel laureate, also urged the students, who are at the forefront of the protests, to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.

“Are they not the people of this country? You have been able to save the country; can’t you save some families?… You must say – no one can harm them. They are my brothers; we fought together, and we will stay together,” the 84-year-old asserted, underscoring the need for national unity.