Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, stated that he felt "dazzled" when asked to take charge after the long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was removed from power last year.
I had no idea I'd be leading the government," Yunus told the BBC. "I had never run a government before, and I had to learn how to navigate its complexities."
Once he adjusted to his new role, Yunus began organizing various aspects of the government. As a Nobel Prize-winning economist, he identified restoring law and order and fixing the economy as his top priorities for the country.
It remains uncertain whether Hasina, who has fled into exile in India, and her party will participate in the elections that Yunus hopes to hold later this year. She is currently wanted in Bangladesh for alleged crimes against humanity.
A Bangladesh court has issued an arrest warrant for former leader Sheikh Hasina. In an interview with the BBC at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus stated, "They [the Awami League] have to decide if they want to do it; I cannot decide for them. The election commission decides who participates in the election."
He emphasized, "Peace and order are the most important things, along with the economy. It's a shattered economy—a devastated economy. It's as if there's been some terrible tornado for 16 years, and we're trying to pick up the pieces."
Sheikh Hasina was elected prime minister in 2009 and governed Bangladesh with an iron fist. Her Awami League government ruthlessly suppressed dissent, leading to widespread allegations of human rights violations, including the murder and imprisonment of political rivals during her tenure.
In August, a student-led uprising forced Hasina from office. At the request of the protesters, Yunus returned to Bangladesh to lead the new interim government. He mentioned that elections would be held between December 2025 and March 2026, depending on how quickly his government can implement necessary reforms for free and fair elections. "If reforms can be done as quickly as we wish, then December would be the time we hold elections. If we need a longer period for the reforms, then we may require a few more months."
