Staff Reporter :
The interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus took oath on Thursday with the spirit of rebuilding a new country with the cooperation of all.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath taking ceremony to the new interim government comprising of 17 advisers at the Bangabhaban at 9:21pm.
The caravan of the interim government includes Advisers of the interim government are former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Prof of Dhaka University law Department Dr Asif Nazrul, right activist Adilur Rahman Khan, former attorney general AF Hassan Arif, former foreign secretary M Touhid Hossain, Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive Officer of Brotee and freedom fighter Sharmeen Murshid, Faruq-e-Azam, Bir Protik, former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB) Supradip Chakma, Director cum Professor, Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Hospital Prof Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy, Hefazat-e-Islam’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and Islami Andolan Bangladesh adviser A F M Khalid Hossain, women’s rights activist Farida Akhter, Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum, student coordinators M Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan.
During the ceremony, Supradip Chakma, Bidhan Ranjan Roy, and Faruk-e-Azam were outside the capital, so they could not be sworn in Thursday. They will swear-in later, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, senior BNP leader Dr Moyeen Khan, Jatiya Party Chief GM Quader and other political leaders except Awami League, civil society members and journalists, among others, were present at the swearing-in ceremony that began with national anthem.
A one-minute silence was observed in honour of those who died during the anti-discrimination students’ movement. Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain conducted the ceremony after 9pm.
During the oath taking ceremony, other political leaders of BNP include Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khosru, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Amanullah Aman, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Tabith Awal, and Mizanur Rahman Minu, were present, Bangabir Kader Siddique, Mujahidul Islam Selim, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others.
Diplomats from UK, Japan, China, Philippines, Iran, Argentina, Qatar, The Netherlands and UAE are present on the occasion.
Following the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in a mass upsurge of students and people on August 5, the interim government took charge for a period before holding the parliamentary election to hand over power to the representatives of the people.
After taking the oath, Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus would live in the state house Jamuna. During the last caretaker government in 2008, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed also stayed at Jamuna. Earlier, in 1996, Chief Advisers Habibur Rahman and Latifur Rahman in 2001 stayed in the same state house.
Earlier in the afternoon Dr Yunus returned from Paris and landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:10pm.
He was welcomed at the airport by the Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan as well as coordinators of Students Against Discrimination movement and members of civil society.
While addressing the press, he urged the countrymen to have trust on him who has taken the responsibility to protect the lives of the people.
“If you trust on me, rely on me, ensure me that there will be no attack on anybody at any place. It is our prime responsibility,” he said.
Regarding the deterioration of law and order, Yunus said, “People are attacking people. Houses are being burnt. Resources are being spoiled and looted. Attacks are being carried out on office and court. Minorities are being attacked. Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Ahmadias-everyone is under attack. These are part of the conspiracy, not our issue. Our job is to protect everyone. Every human being is our brother, our sister.”
Yunus further said, “If I cannot do it, if you do not listen to me, then I don’t have any necessity here. Say goodbye to me. Let me engage in my work. If you think me necessary, listen to me. My first speech is that protect the country from anarchy. Protect the country from violence. We want to be guided by the students.”
Regarding a government, he said, “There is a thing named government. But people do not have trust on it. People think that it a machinery to suppress and repress people. Wherever it (government) gets scope, it hurts people at all levels. But it cannot be a government. People will feel proud of it that it will help me, protect me.”
“We have to bring back the trust of people. We have to protect them. Then people will join us,” he added.
Applauding the young people, he said, “They are beside us. They will protect this country. They have given rebirth to this country. The country which has come through rebirth should be go ahead fast. We want to protect it.”
While remembering the tragic death of Abu Sayeed by the bullets of law enforcers, Dr Yunus shed his tears.
He said, “Today I recall Abu Sayeed. His picture has been etched on the minds of all people. Nobody can forget it. How incredibly courageous boy he was! He was standing before the rifles. After it, no youth remained silent and was not defeated. He said – fire bullets as much as you can. As a result, the movement spread across the country. Consequently, we achieved the second liberation.”
He also mentioned to protect the liberation that has been achieved through the struggle of the students and people.
“We would not only protect the liberation but also spread out its benefits to every house. Otherwise, it will have no value. To spread out the independence is our oath, our determination so that people can understand that this independence means the change of oneself, the change of people and the change of opportunities, the changes of the future of the children,” he added.
Drawing attention to the young people, he said, “You have to build up this country as you think. The way you have liberated the country, you can build it up according to you will. The whole world would learn how a young generation can change the country.”
“I have repeatedly told them that discard the old. Our emancipation will not come through the thoughts of the old. It will not work in the world, and even in Bangladesh. The power you have in your hands, the creativity you have, utilise them. Creativity is not a subject lies in books and notes. It is a matter of expression. It is a matter of installation,” he said.
Terming the whole country a ‘big family’, he said, “We want to walk together. We are a family. The hesitations we have should be discarded. We want to bring back those who have been deviated so that we can walk together.”
Mentioning Bangladesh a land of immense opportunity, the Nobel Laureate said, “We have spoiled the opportunities. Again we have to prepare the seedbed. We have to wake up. They will create the seedbed. We would look at them and proceed following their directions.”