Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus has returned to his country from France to assume the role of interim Prime Minister later on Thursday after urging citizens to remain calm and prepare to rebuild the nation in the wake of an uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule. Before leaving Paris, where he was attending the Olympic Games, Yunus called for calm in Bangladesh amid tensions regarding the future of the country.
Yunus was appointed as the interim leader following discussions between military officials, civil society leaders, and student activists who led the uprising against Hasina. He made his first comments in the French capital on Wednesday before taking a flight home. Bangladeshi authorities announced that Yunus's inauguration would take place on Thursday evening in front of President Mohammad Shahabuddin.
Yunus congratulated the protesting students, telling them, "You made the second victory day possible." He urged citizens to remain peaceful while condemning the violence that followed Hasina's resignation on Monday, stating: "Violence is our enemy, please do not create more enemies. Keep calm and prepare to build Bangladesh."
Meanwhile, Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who serves as her advisor, pledged on Wednesday that his family and the Awami League party would continue their political work in Bangladesh, retracting earlier statements he made after Hasina's resignation and her subsequent flight to India. Joy confirmed in a social media post on Wednesday that his family would return to the political arena and would not give up following the attacks on Awami League leaders and members.
Earlier on Monday, Joy had mentioned that Hasina would not return to the political scene after her resignation. However, in a recorded message posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, he urged party activists not to surrender. He stated, "You are not alone. We are here. The Bangabandhu family has not gone anywhere." Hasina's father, the independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is known in Bangladesh as Bangabandhu, meaning "Friend of Bengal."
Joy added, "If we want to build a new Bangladesh, that will not be possible without the Awami League." He also noted that "the Awami League is the oldest democratic party and the largest party in Bangladesh. The Awami League has not died... It cannot be eradicated. We said that our family would not participate in politics anymore. But after the attacks on our leaders and activists, we will not surrender."
Residents in the capital city, Dhaka, carried sticks, iron rods, and sharp weapons on Thursday night to protect their neighborhoods amid reports of looting. Neighborhoods used loudspeakers from mosques to alert people about the looting, as police withdrew from the streets. The army provided hotlines for assistance.
