The 84-year-old was appointed one day after Ms Hasina fled the country following weeks of deadly demonstrations that forced her resignation.
While Prof Yunus has been praised for his pioneering use of microloans, Ms Hasina considers him a public enemy; he is presently on bail, fighting a six-month jail sentence in what he calls a politically motivated prosecution.
Students who led the large rallies that ousted Ms Hasina refused to accept a military-dominated government and advocated for Prof Yunus to lead the interim administration.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin, military chiefs, and student leaders met and decided to appoint Prof Yunus as the interim government’s chief adviser.
“When the students who sacrificed so much are requesting me to step in at this difficult juncture, how can I refuse?” Professor Yunus had said.
His spokeswoman confirmed that he is returning to Dhaka from Paris, where he is undergoing a minor medical operation.
The protests in Bangladesh began in early July with university students demanding the abolition of civil service quotas, but quickly grew into a larger anti-government movement.
The recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize will lead the interim government of Bangladesh.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, a longtime political critic of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been named interim leader.
Leave a comment
Leave a comment