Bangladesh's Interim Leader Muhammad Yunus Resigns, Hands Over Power After Student Uprising

Dhaka. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus resigned on Monday, addressing the nation on television before handing over power to the elected government.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus, 85, stated, "As of today, the tenure of the interim government has ended. The incoming elected government will not obstruct the practice of democracy, freedom of expression, and the fundamental rights that have begun."

Yunus returned from self-imposed exile in August 2024, a few days after a student-led uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina's government and she fled by helicopter.

Recalling the day Hasina was deposed, he said, "That was a great day of liberation. It was such a joyous day that Bangladeshis worldwide rejoiced because of it. The youth of our country freed the nation from the grip of a wicked ruler."

He, who has been leading as the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh since then, congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its leader Tarique Rahman for achieving a 'great victory' in the recent elections. Rahman will lead the next government.

"The people, voters, political parties, and stakeholder institutions involved in the election have presented an admirable example," Yunus said in his address to the nation.

He added, "This election has paved the way for future elections. Rahman, 60, the chief of the BNP and scion of the country's most powerful political dynasty, will lead Bangladesh, a South Asian nation of 170 million people."

Rebuilt Institutions

Bangladeshi voters also voted in favor of broad democratic reforms in a national referendum on election day, a key pillar of Yunus's transitional agenda.

The long document, known as the 'July Charter,' proposed term limits for prime ministers, the formation of an upper house of parliament, strong presidential powers, and greater judicial independence, a month after the uprising that ousted Hasina began.

"We did not start from zero; we started from below that," he said.

Yunus stated, "Clearing the debris, we rebuilt institutions and set a path for reform."

The referendum mandates that the Charter be 'ratified by the winning parties.'

Many parties had raised questions before the vote about whether the reforms would still need to be ratified by the new parliament.

According to the Election Commission, the BNP alliance won 212 seats, while the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance secured 77 seats.

Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman stated that his Islamic party would serve as a cautious, principled, and peaceful opposition.

The newly elected lawmakers are expected to take the oath on Tuesday, after which Tarique Rahman will become the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

According to police data, five people died and over 600 were injured in political clashes during the election campaign.

Despite weeks of turmoil leading up to the vote, polling day concluded without major unrest, and the country welcomed the election results in a relatively peaceful manner.