Protests in Bangladesh; Former Prime Minister Released from House Arrest and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Agrees to Collaborate with Interim Government

On Tuesday, August 7, a day after Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, resigned and fled to India following a violent crackdown on student protests and widespread demonstrations, the President of Bangladesh dissolved Parliament, paving the way for the formation of an interim government and new elections. The office of Mohammad Shahabuddin, the President of Bangladesh, also announced that Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister and leader of the nationalist party, who had opposed Hasina for decades, has been released from house arrest. Organizers of the student protests that ousted Hasina have introduced Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, as their candidate for senior advisor to the transitional government, and Reuters reported through his spokesperson that Yunus has accepted this offer. Muhammad Yunus, 84, is the founder of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, which lifted millions out of poverty by providing microloans. The protests in Bangladesh began with student demonstrations against job quotas for the families of veterans from the Bangladesh Liberation War, and critics viewed the allocation of 30 percent of the quota to these individuals as a means to sideline public sector jobs for allies of the ruling party. During these protests, which were met with violent repression, around 300 people were killed and thousands were injured. After protesters stormed the Prime Minister's residence and looted his belongings, the streets of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, were calm on Tuesday, and many schools and businesses that had closed during the unrest remained shut. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association announced that factories producing for several top global brands would resume operations on Wednesday. Mohammad Shahabuddin, the President of Bangladesh, had previously stated that the interim government would hold elections after taking office. Sheikh Hasina's flight to India ended her second 15-year term in power. She is the eldest daughter of Mujibur Rahman, the founder and first Prime Minister of the country. Protests against Hasina were also intensified due to poverty. After years of economic growth and expansion of the garment industry, the country's $450 billion economy faced high import costs and inflation, with the government seeking financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund. Hasina has been accused of authoritarianism by her opponents, and many of her political rivals remain imprisoned. Her resignation was met with joy from the protesting crowd. Indian media have reported that Sheikh Hasina may go to the UK. The protests in Bangladesh were against the 'quota for martyr families.' The resignation and exit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh; the army commander: an interim government will be formed. Calls for the resignation of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh have led to renewed violence in the protests. Martial law in Bangladesh; over 100 people have been killed in the protests.