Bangladesh makes a fresh start under a new-look government mandated through a student-mass uprising as a 17-member council of advisers, headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, took office Thursday.
And the takeover by the interim government, dominated by civil-society members, filled a tension-charged void in power created following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 amid what the movement coordinators called 'student-people revolution'.
Two of those at the central command of the student-led movement -- Md Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan -- are inducted in the council of advisers.
Three of the advisers -- Supradip Chakma, Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar and Faruk E Azam -- couldn't take oath as they were outside Dhaka, said cabinet secretary Md Mahbub Hossain while conducting the oath ceremony.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and of secrecy at the swearing-in ceremony attended by political leaders, coordinators of the students' quota-reform movement--later ramped up to anti-discrimination movement--high civil and military officials, diplomats and other dignitaries.
There had been suspense as names of the advisers were kept a secret, and divulged just before the swearing-in ceremony held in jam-packed durbar hall of the Bangabhaban presidential palace at 09:15pm.
"I am, Mohammad Yunus, taking oath...that I will discharge my duties faithfully as Chief Adviser of the interim government as per the law," Dr Yunus pronounced to applause at the ceremony broadcast live on television.
Chief Adviser professor Yunus would allocate portfolios to the newly sworn-in advisers in the shortest-possible time.
People from all walks of life -- political parties, business bodies, and organisations -- welcomed the interim government headed by professor Yunus on the cusp of transition in state power.
Apart from ensuring a healthy law-and-order situation and improving the country's 'ailing' financial condition, reestablishing democracy, which has been badly eroded in recent years, is listed among the major challenges facing the stand-in government.
In his maiden address to the nation after taking oath, the Chief Adviser said though this government is brought about through student uprising, it is the government of all the people. He announced his resolve to restore the law and order through strict action.
Interim government is the newest form of non-partisan government in Bangladesh to hold democratic elections during the transition from one elected government to another. Previously, caretaker government did the similar job during the period between 1996 and 2008.
The caretaker-government system of Bangladesh was introduced in 1991 through the passage of the 13th amendment to the constitution to ensure free and fair election-taking cue from previous electoral flaws.
After holding several general elections free and fair, the caretaker-government system was scrapped along with the 13th amendment in 2011 through the passage of the 15th amendment of the constitution to allow the elected government to conduct any election in future.
And that is seen by many as the root of ills that finally led to the downfall of the latest government of Sheikh Hasina, elect through the January polls boycotted by the opposition, after over 15 years in power in a row.
Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was the chief adviser of the first caretaker government to hold national elections in 1991, Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman was the chief adviser of the second caretaker government of Bangladesh to hold the polls of 1996, Justice Latifur Rahman was the chief adviser of the third caretaker government to hold election in 2001.
Azizjst@yahoo.com