Bngladesh's Presidnet Flees THe Country-A Nobel Laureate Is Now President

After the Storm Bangladesh Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday following the resignation and exile of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while a renowned Nobel prize winner was appointed the country’s new leader, Reuters reported. On Monday, following a fresh outbreak of violence over the weekend in which almost 100 people were killed, student demonstrators threatened continued protests if parliament was not dissolved. Hasina, Bangladesh’s prime minister since 2009, stepped down and fled the country as demonstrators stormed her private residence, the BBC reported. Afterward, the army took control promising to install an interim government. Following parliament’s dissolution, the streets of the capital Dhaka were calm Tuesday. Students, however, opposed any military rule and sought for economist Muhammad Yunus to become prime minister, a move that was agreed between them, the president and military chiefs on Tuesday. Yunus received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his micro-loan development program, one credited with helping millions out of poverty, and earning him the nickname “banker of the poor.” “When the students who sacrificed so much are requesting me to step in at this difficult juncture, how can I refuse?” said Yunus. The economist was indicted in an embezzlement case in June, accusations his supporters say were trumped up because he was seen as a political rival to Hasina. As caretaker leader, Yunus will face the challenge of addressing the demands of a youth-led political movement, repairing damaged administrative institutions, as well as dealing with economic issues such as inflation, unemployment, and declining foreign reserves, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Shahabuddin also said that Hasina’s arch-enemy, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, had been freed from house arrest. Khaleda Zia was convicted in a corruption case in 2018 that critics say was also orchestrated by the government. The rivalry between the two women has defined Bangladeshi politics over the past few decades, often resulting in violence even as Bangladesh’s democracy backslid under Hasina, who was reelected for a fourth term in January in a questionable election boycotted by the opposition. The dissolving of parliament essentially nullifies the election results. Normal activity began to resume in the country with some schools and businesses opening. Some protesters guarded buildings to prevent them from being vandalized or looted and others tried to reassure minority communities, some of which had come under attack over the past few days. Mourning the dead has also begun: About 400 people have died in the protests over the past few weeks, the Associated Press reported. The government, before it fell, refused to allow the victims proper burials. Now, the military, which is credited with restraint during the protests, has promised investigations into the killings, as well as to usher in new elections. Students say they intend to hold the military to that. “We have given our blood, been martyred, and we have to fulfill our pledge to build a new Bangladesh,” protest leader Nahid Islam told Al Jazeera.