Dhaka: Members of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus will take the oath tonight. Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said on Wednesday that the oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held at 8:00 pm (local time) in the presence of some 400 dignitaries, Daily Star reported. The oath-taking ceremony will be held three days after the cabinet was dissolved following the resignation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Waker-Uz-Zaman indicated that the interim government might comprise 15 members. However, he did not mention their names and possible tenure of the government. He spoke to reporters at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman expressed hope that normalcy would return within three to four days as the situation in Bangladesh is improving significantly. He said that those involved in the crimes committed over the past few days will not be spared and legal action will be taken against them.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin agreed to the proposal of the key student protest organizers to make Yunus the head of Bangladesh’s interim government. Since then, the people of Bangladesh have wanted to know when the government would take charge and bring the situation across the country under its control.
On Tuesday, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said he had spoken to Muhammad Yunus and felt “very good talking to him, Daily Star reported. He said, “I felt very good talking to him. It seemed to me that he was very eager to take up the responsibility. I’m certain that he will be successful in taking us to a democratic process, and that we will benefit from it.”
General Waker-Uz-Zaman said they have spoken with political parties and protest organizers about making Yunus the interim government chief. He said they spoke to the Bangladesh President and made the proposal. He expressed hope that Yunus would receive support from all political parties and students, and would be successful in performing his duties. He said, “The navy chief, the air force chief and I … We all will support him.”