Nobel laureate Muhammad sworn in as head of 17-member transitional government in Bangladesh

By SM Najmus Saki

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took the oath of office Thursday to lead a 17-member transitional government in Bangladesh.

It came after weeks of protests which led to the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.​​​​​​​

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Yunus, 84, and his team at the presidential office in the national capital of Dhaka.

The position of the head of the transitional government is officially called "chief adviser."

Most members of the transitional government are technocrats. The team includes two members from the student group which led protests that forced Hasina to resign and flee Bangladesh on Monday.

Army chief Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman had announced the formation of a transitional government after Hasina fled to India, where she is currently.

Yunus was in France when the announcement was made. He returned Thursday.

"Bangladesh has started a new victory day. We have to move on. We are thankful to those who did it, they (students) saved the country,” Yunus said after landing in Dhaka.

Bangladesh had witnessed large-scale student protests since July against controversial civil service job quotas that killed more than 400.

Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday which was elected in January when Hasina was elected prime minister for a fourth time.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has demanded national elections within three months to hand over power to the people’s representatives.