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By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel

The recent student protests in Bangladesh have become an issue of discussion during every lunch break and coffee talk. It has grabbed the attention of the media, be it national or international. The media houses, both print and electronic, have their own analysis and findings about what led students to hit the streets of Dhaka which later spread across the country. I will not delve into that as our national and international experts will come up with their explanations in days to come.

However, to my understanding, the student’s protest stemmed from long-running resentment over a quota system that saw 56% of Government positions reserved for various groups including 30% for the descendants of the freedom fighters who fought the 1971 War of Independence. After weeks of protest that have resulted in scores of deaths, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, stepped down and subsequently fled the country on August 5. Now, she is residing in India but seeking asylum or temporary refuge either in America or England.

Following the resignation, President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who is currently a ceremonial leader, dissolved the parliament. The figurehead president administers the oath to Muhammad Yunus for his role as chief advisor, which is the equivalent to the Prime Minister, in the presence of diplomats, civil society members and members of the former opposition party. The other members of the interim cabinet are drawn from civil society and leaders of the protest students.

Born on 28 June 1940, in the Chittagong district, Muhammad Yunus did his schooling at Chittagong Collegiate School before earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dhaka University. He later obtained PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in the USA on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1969. A well-known social entrepreneur, banker and economist, Yunus is also hailed as the father of microfinance for founding the Grameen Bank in 1983 and becoming the pioneer of microfinance and microcredit. In 2006, Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work to create social and economic development from below.

But, now the noble laureate has been entrusted with completely different responsibilities which is extremely difficult given the internal political bickering and immense external interference in micro-management of state affairs.

Life in Bangladesh has come to a grinding halt after the widespread agitation. The protestors have demolished the physical infrastructure worth millions. Many innocent people mainly coming from minorities were killed and maimed. They were forced to move to another place to safeguard their lives. Now, the international community is keenly observing how the Peace Prize winner will restore peace in the country fostering social cohesion. This is a litmus test for the noble laureate.

Yunus’s main objective is to hold the election in a free and impartial manner. The poll should be held 90 days after the dissolution of the country’s parliament. In post oath-taking event, he said that he does want to be a long-term caretaker government chief. However, with his limited capacity as an interim leader, there are fewer chances that he will be able to hold the election peacefully. Besides that question remains who will contest and how long will the caretaker government remain in place.

That apart, the noble laureate lacks political capital though he made a brief foray into politics in 2007. He announced a plan to start a political party. However, abandoned them within a few months. Alike other South Asian nations, Bangladesh has very unpredictable leaders with lust for power. The international forces with sinister agendas have always attempted to create control chaos in the country. He has to find the solution to these seen and unseen challenges.  With no political experience, the Noble Peace Prize winner will surely face the music.

Military leadership has always posed a threat to Bangladesh’s democracy ever since it got its independence in 1971. The military has staged a coup several times in Bangladesh. Amidst this background, the students during their protest strongly objected to the military government and suggested a civilian-led interim government. No doubt that the interim government is civilian-led. However, the military leadership will have a major role in overseeing this interim setup. How peace prize winner Muhammad Yunus adopts measures to avert military interference remains to be seen. This is yet another challenge that will be keenly observed by the international watchers.

More than 400 people were killed in the clashes between protestors and security forces. The first task of the interim government is to ensure the protection of people’s right to life, right to free speech and peaceful assembly and find ways to de-escalate the potential for further violence. Though the violence has subsided for now, it can erupt at any time threatening the lives of the minorities in the country. As a Nobel Prize winner, Yunus cannot dare turn a blind eye to this problem.

This is a very delicate and difficult moment for Yunus as a chief advisor of the interim government. With his detractors hatching conspiracy and inadequate political experience, Yunus has to deal with pressure- both domestic and international. It is the time that requires a display of diplomacy of the highest order. It is also the time to demonstrate the highest level of diplomatic poise and prudence.

Regardless of the above-outlined challenges, Bangladeshi are very hopeful that he will live up to their expectation. We wish Yunus a successful tenure as a chief advisor of the interim government.