Bangladesh has entered a new era as a student-led revolution successfully ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, marking a significant moment in the country’s political history. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who has now assumed the role of interim leader, described the events as an undeniable revolution driven by the nation’s youth. “This is a student-led revolution, and there is no doubt that the entire government collapsed as a result,” Yunus declared during a recent news briefing.
The upheaval began when students took to the streets last month to protest the reinstatement of a controversial quota system for government jobs. The High Court’s decision to bring back a 30% reservation for families of veterans from the 1971 War of Independence sparked outrage, particularly after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government abolished the quota in 2018. Despite an appeal to the Supreme Court temporarily suspending the High Court’s ruling, the protests intensified, evolving into a broader movement against Hasina’s leadership.
In the wake of Hasina’s abrupt departure to India, several high-ranking officials, including the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Central Bank Governor, resigned following ultimatums from the student protesters. According to Yunus, these resignations were executed in full compliance with legal procedures.
Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the leader of Bangladesh’s caretaker government on August 9, just three days after the fall of the Awami League government. He is now backed by a 16-member advisory council, which includes key organizers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, such as Asif Mahmud and Nahid Islam. This newly formed administration is tasked with steering Bangladesh through its democratic reforms, a journey initiated by the nation’s youth.
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