The caretaker government in Bangladesh, led by Mohammad Yunus, is committed to ensuring a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy. It aims to create an environment in which free, fair, and participatory elections can be held. This was assured by Yunus during his address at the third Voice of Global South Summit, which was hosted by India in a virtual format. Yunus mentioned that Bangladesh witnessed a ‘Second Revolution’ on 5th August 2024, which led to the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The current interim government, led by Yunus, was sworn in on August 8, and its primary goal is to ensure a transition to inclusive and pluralistic democracy.
Yunus also emphasized the need for reforms in various sectors, including the electoral system, judiciary, local government, media, economy, and education. He invited world leaders to visit Dhaka to witness the transformation taking place in the city, particularly the emergence of graffiti as a symbol of the new democratic and environmentally friendly Bangladesh. Additionally, Yunus stressed the importance of placing youth and students at the heart of their strategies, highlighting their role as the most powerful segment of society and emphasizing the need for the financial system to ensure wealth is shared by all, particularly women and youth.
He also mentioned the Bengali language movement in 1952, emphasizing the sacrifice made by Bangladeshi students, and drew parallels with the current student-led Second Revolution, which he believes is inspiring youth globally to raise their voice for democracy, human rights, dignity, equality, and shared prosperity. Finally, Yunus called for support for the youth and emphasized that being old should not mean retiring from economic activities, highlighting the importance of societies being supportive of the creativity of all people throughout their lives.
During the anti-government protests in Bangladesh, over 230 people died in the violence following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, bringing the total death toll to 560 during the three weeks of violence.