Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus has expressed his hopes for the future of Bangladesh, emphasising that the country should fulfil the promise of its recent rebirth.
He called for the revolution that led to this new victory to be realised in full.
Yunus extended his gratitude to the youth, acknowledging their pivotal role in organising and leading the movement that saved the country. “I convey all my praise and gratitude to those who made it possible – the youth community. They are now standing by me. They have saved this country, reborn this country, and Bangladesh that we got in this rebirth, Bangladesh can move forward rapidly, that is our oath. We want to protect that."
Yunus highlighted the need to redefine the role of government, urging that it should not be seen as an instrument of repression. “There’s a thing called government, but people have no confidence in it. People think that the government is an instrument of repression. They think it is something of fear that has to be dealt with. Such a thing cannot be a government. A government is a thing that empowers people with confidence. One should think that this government will protect him, help him, and stand by him. But governments never stood by anyone.”
Yunus said the government that is going to be formed now, will be that government which will protect the people and be trustworthy to them. “We have to bring back that trust in people.”
Addressing recent unrest, Yunus condemned the violence and urged for peace and unity. “I heard on the way home that there is a disturbance of law and order here. People are attacking people, burning houses, destroying property, burning, attacking offices and courts, attacking minorities, attacking Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Ahmadiyyas. These are part of the conspiracy. These are not our issues.'
“Our task is to protect everyone. Protecting every human being. Every human being is our brother, our sister, protect them and we should return to a discipline,” asserted Yunus.
Yunus was talking to the media at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his return from France on Thursday (August 8) afternoon.
“You invested your trust in me and called me, the students have called me. I responded to that. My appeal to the countrymen, if you believe in me, trust me, then be ensured that there will be no attack on anyone anywhere in the country. This is our first duty,” said Yunus.
“If I can't do that, if you won't listen to me, then I'm not needed here. Bid me farewell and let me remain busy with my work,” he said.
“If you need me, show that you listen to me. If you don't listen to me, then I’ll consider that you don’t need me…My first point is – please save the country from this chaos, protect the country from violence. So that we can proceed in the way shown by the students,” added Yunus.
Chief of army staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman along with chiefs of two other services, coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, election observers, Brac Chief Executive Officer Sharmin Murshid, and representatives from civil society.
An interim government led by Yunus is set to be sworn in on Thursday night at 8:30pm., following a meeting last Tuesday night between President Md Shahabuddin, military leaders, and the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement, where the decision to form this government was finalised.