Bangladesh: New government seeks to end attacks on religious minorities

Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, pledged Sunday to end attacks on religious minorities, while a new chief justice was sworn in following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After Hasina fled abroad on Monday, ending 15 years of autocratic rule, there were widespread reports of violence against Hindu homes, temples and businesses. This religious minority, the largest in this South Asian country of 170 million inhabitants, the majority of whom are Muslim, is in fact considered to provide unwavering support to the Awami League, Ms Hasina's party.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and interim leader of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on August 9, 2024 © AFP – Indranil MUKHERJEE

“Attacks on religious minorities in some places have been noted with grave concern,” the interim government formed Thursday to lead Bangladesh's democratic reforms said in its first official statement.

– Many priorities –

It added that its members, each with the title of “advisor,” would meet to “find ways to end these heinous attacks.”

The text released Sunday lists many other urgent priorities.

The government has ordered “support” for the families of protesters killed during weeks of protests that led to the prime minister's ouster.

In addition, public funds will have to be spent to pay for the treatment of those injured in the unrest that began in early July and left more than 450 people dead.

The government has also promised to reopen the metro in the capital Dhaka by the end of the week.

– Purge in the institutions –

He also announced that he would soon appoint a new governor of the central bank, replacing the one loyal to Ms. Hasina.

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Protesters storm the palace of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. © AFP – K M ASAD

Earlier in the day, a new president of the Supreme Court, Syed Refaat Ahmed, was sworn in the day after the resignation of his predecessor, another ally of the deposed head of government.

This one, Obaidul Hassan, had left his functions on Saturday, believing that it was “no longer possible” for him to exercise them, after an ultimatum from demonstrators, some of whom had gathered in front of the building housing this jurisdiction.

The police chief was also ousted.

– “The law of the crowd” –

On Thursday, the economist Muhammad Yunus, 84 years old, succeeded Sheikh Hasina, 76 years old, who had fled by helicopter to India.

The protests in Bangladesh were sparked by the reintroduction of a scheme reserving nearly a third of public sector jobs for descendants of veterans of the war of independence.

Political leaflets of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the floor of the vandalized Awami League headquarters, days after the student uprising, on August 10, 2024 in Dhaka, Bangladesh © AFP – LUIS TATO

The former government had been accused by human rights organizations of using institutions to consolidate its influence and eradicate all dissent.

Ms Hasina's son warned of possible “chaos” if elections were not quickly organized, in an interview with AFP.

“Right now in Bangladesh, it's mob rule,” said Sajeeb Wazed Joy, 53, a former adviser to his mother, from Washington, where he lives, judging the interim government “without any power.”

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