“If we don’t provide opportunities to young people, they will make another revolution”

Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim government of Bangladesh, at the Jamuna State Guest House, the official residence of the Bangladeshi government, in Dhaka, November 9, 2024. MUNEM WASIF / AGENCY SEEN FOR “THE WORLD” Nearly a hundred days after taking the oath of office in as head of the interim government, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus received Le Monde at the Jamuna State Guest House, his official residence in Dhaka, which formerly hosted foreign dignitaries. The palace of deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in power for 15 years, was ransacked after she fled to India on August 5, when she was dethroned by a mass student movement. You took over as head of government three months ago. In what state did you find your country? The country was in shock. Hundreds of young people had been killed in the streets by the police. There was also excitement. The regime, which had held the country with an iron fist for more than fifteen years, had just collapsed. The students persuaded me to lead the interim government. We did not know each other and began our work in an uncertain environment. The only thing we knew was that we had the opportunity to shape a new country. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers In Bangladesh, the genesis of a student revolution Read later The students said they wanted to reset the counters: leave the past behind them to create the world of their dreams, a “new Bangladesh”. The whole country united around this idea. Students’ expectations are at their highest, they would like to take giant steps, we must make them understand that we are moving forward in small steps. Does the administration shaped by Sheikh Hasina leave you with the means to act? At first there was hostility. The administration collapsed because thousands of employees remained devoted to the old regime. You never know who you’re dealing with. This creates great distrust. We faced great chaos. Many civil servants have simply disappeared, some even leaving the country for fear of reprisals. There are empty chairs throughout government and we need to recruit competent people to fill them. The police have still not fully returned to work. Some people are still afraid to go out into the street because they think that the public will shout at them, spit on them… But gradually, order is established and the interim government has made its mark. Dhaka has become the daily scene of political rallies and demonstrations… Everyone has demands. The bureaucrats want promotions, arguing that they were denied them because they were not sympathetic to the old regime. Textile workers are demanding wage increases. So we have to work with all of this. You have 65.58% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.



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