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

ADDS ADVISERS

By SM Najmus Sakib

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

The 16 advisers are: Saleh Uddin Ahmed, former Bangladesh central bank governor; Brigadier Gen. (retired) M Sakhawat Hossain; Asif Nazrul, teacher Dhaka University; Adilur Rahman Khan, a human rights defender; Syeda Rezwana Hasan, a attorney and environmentalist; Hasan Arif, Touhid Hossain, Supradeep Chakma, Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy, AFM Khalid Hasan, a Islami Andolan Party leader; Nurjahan Begum, Grameen Telecom trustee; Sharmeen Murshid, Farooqui Azam, Farida Akhtar, women's rights activist; two student movement coordinators Md Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.

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 Tuesday which was elected in January when Hasina became prime minister for a fourth time.

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