Interim government: The faces of change in Bangladesh

Image Source: Getty

Shaking off the remnants of the decade-and-a-half-old government, Bangladesh is preparing for a new beginning. An interim government, headed by the Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, is now in charge of stabilising a country that is still reeling under chaos and violence. Nominated by the students as Chief Adviser to the interim government—a role equivalent to a Prime Minister—the celebrated economist has formed his advisory council comprising 16 members from various walks of life. As Yunus calls for Bangladesh to “rise again”, it is critical to analyse what this new cabinet represents, to understand how this South Asian country will be led in the foreseeable future.

An interim government, headed by the Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, is now in charge of stabilising a country that is still reeling under chaos and violence.

The new cabinet includes  Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association; Farida Akhtar, women's rights activist; Adilur Rahman Khan, human rights activist and the founder of Odhikar; AFM Khalid Hossain, education adviser of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar; Nurjahan Begum, Grameen Telecom trustee; Sharmeen Murshid, Chief Executive Officer of human rights organisation Brotee; Faruk-e-Azam, a freedom fighter who was awarded Bir Pratik; Nahid Islam, student activist and key organiser of the Anti-Discrimination Students' Movement that ousted Sheikh Hasina in 2024; Asif Mahmud, DU student and key organiser of the Anti-Discrimination Students' Movement; Salehuddin Ahmed, former governor of Bangladesh Bank; Prof Asif Nazrul, Dhaka University law professor; Hassan Arif, former attorney general and senior advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Brigadier General (retired) M Sakhawat Hossain, former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh (2007-2012); Supradip Chakma, Chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board; Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy, psychology specialist, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health & Hospital's Department of Psychiatry; and Touhid Hossain, former foreign secretary. The selection of this new cabinet exhibits certain characteristics. These are as follows:

• Distancing the Awami League (AL): To begin with, this council of advisers, is predictably without any representation from the erstwhile ruling party, the AL. The history of this party predates the birth of Bangladesh itself; it has governed the country for more than 28 years of its 53 years of independence and until very recently enjoyed a large support base in the country. However, the interim government is now taking measures to dissociate itself from the AL’s legacy and affiliations. For example, the Yunus government has cancelled the holiday on 15^th August, considered the National Mourning Day in Bangladesh, in observance of the murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. Sheikh Mujib is regarded as the Father of the Nation and was a former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and former President of the Awami League.
  
  The Yunus government has cancelled the holiday on 15th August, considered the National Mourning Day in Bangladesh, in observance of the murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. 
  
  Additionally, in response to student protests called by Asif Mahmud, one of the two students’ representatives in the cabinet appointed as an adviser at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, six top judges of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, along with Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan handed in their resignation to the Yunus government. According to the protestors, these judges “favoured the previous government,” and their departure comes as the new interim government attempts to reorganise the judiciary. The AL party, however, has not been banned yet, due to its contribution to the nation, and has been urged to contest elections.

• Prioritising the economy: The new cabinet exhibits an economic thrust with three members including Yunus having a finance background. While the Noble Laureate himself is credited for the creation of the Grameen Bank and is a pioneer in the field of microfinance and microcredit, the others are a former managing director of the Grameen Bank and a Former Governor of the Bangladesh Bank who has worked to modernise the bank’s operations. Bangladesh faces several challenges in this sector. In April 2024, inflation reached a decade-high of 7 percent year-on-year and as of March 2023, inflation had been over 9 percent for 13 consecutive months. Bangladesh's debt burden has also increased in recent years and the ratio of external debt to GDP has tentatively risen from 10 to 15 percent in the past five years. The country's foreign exchange reserves remain under pressure, while real GDP growth has slowed to 4.8 percent. Additionally, there is a balance of payment deficit, a budget deficit, declining remittances, a depreciating currency, rising income inequality, and a demand-supply imbalance in the energy sector. Such grievances had fuelled the protests against the Hasina government. Sound economic advice is, thus, a serious requirement in Bangladesh today.

• A thrust on human rights: It may be observed that the interim government’s composition is designed to address some of the key concerns in Bangladesh that lay at the roots of the public dissatisfaction with the former government. While one of these issues is the growing economic challenges, the other is the violation of human rights and the erosion of democracy. The latter had been one of Western countries' primary critiques of the Hasina government. These accusations peaked during Bangladesh’s 12^th general election in early January. According to media highlights, in the lead-up to the polls, almost 25,000 Opposition leaders and supporters were arrested, and 56 people were killed in election-related violence. There were also reports of alleged torture, deliberate denial of health services to political prisoners, and excessive use of force by law enforcement authorities. The Opposition boycotted the election and the Hasina government returned to power through a lopsided election which announced a record low of only 40 percent voter Consequently, the credibility of the results was questioned as they had also been after the 2018 election when Hasina had returned to power for a third consecutive term through boycotted polls. Bangladesh has been critiqued internationally by organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International due to its human rights transgressions. The council advisers to the new interim government, thus, include two human rights activists, one specialist in human rights and democracy, one advocate for women's rights, and a specialist in psychology focused on improving mental health.

Bangladesh has been critiqued internationally by organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International due to its human rights transgressions.

The road ahead

The composition of the interim government in Dhaka is certainly reflective of efforts being made to reform Bangladesh. While an interim government’s essential responsibility is to make routine decisions and ensure a free, fair election is held within three months; if Mohammad Yunus and his Cabinet can indeed facilitate proper polls in Dhaka, it would be a major feat. However, confusion now reigns about which parties would contest the election. While the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, for so long the main opposition in the country is sure to participate, it continues to lack the charismatic leadership necessary to gain public support. The Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamic party often branded as a terrorist organisation by the erstwhile Hasina government, is also a sure contender for political power after the ban on it was lifted last year. Although questions remain about the party’s future leadership, the AL is also likely to participate. In the present scenario, it is also possible that some new student parties will come to the forefront. As the interim government is currently focused on refurbishing institutions, it is too early to discuss announcing elections. Regardless of who ultimately comes to power, the key concerns of Bangladesh, as reflected in the selection of council advisers, must be prioritised and addressed.

Sohini Bose is an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation 

Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation

• Neighbourhood
• India
• Neighbourhood
• Bangladesh
• Bangladesh
• Bangladesh crisis
• bangladesh interim government
• challenges for new government in bangladesh
• new government in bangladesh

The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.

PREV NEXT