Protect Yunus

Recently, two of the most respected public figures in Bangladesh—one a newspaper publisher, the other a retired diplomat—voiced support and admiration for Professor Yunus in his role as Chief Adviser (or Interim Prime Minister) of Bangladesh in advance of the two month anniversary on October 8 of the new government coming to power as a result of a people’s uprising in July and early August. In doing so, they reflected the wide support Professor Yunus enjoys throughout the country, and across the world.

Mahfuz Anam—the editor and publisher of the Daily Star, a leading Bangladeshi English-language daily— wrote mainly about Professor Yunus’ triumphant trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, which he addressed as a head of government. Anam wrote this in his recent article titled “Chief Adviser Yunus’s UNGA Trip a Critical Turning Point”: “To have a Nobel laureate as the head of government is quite in contrast to our past leaders, some of whom were military dictators or power-hungry politicians. Professor Yunus brings in a new and fresh sense of dignity not only to Bangladesh, but to the leadership of the developing world in general. The last such leader was Nelson Mandela.”

Anam addressed relations with India, a top priority of this or any Bangladeshi government, with some wise words that reject the groundless claims that the student-led “Monsoon Revolution” that brought Professor Yunus to power was somehow the work of Western powers to stymie India: “The collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government profoundly shocked India. It has not yet been able to fully assess what to make of the changes and understand its profundity. As reported by its media, from the outset, India got carried away with the view that foreign hands were behind the July uprising and that it was either the CIA or Pakistan’s ISI or both that were behind what occurred. This prevented the Indian policymakers from understanding and then accepting the reality that the government that it was patronizing in Bangladesh and whose election manipulation it knowingly overlooked had really lost its footing and had suffered a total loss of public support.

“To attribute the whole July uprising as nothing but the work of outsiders and to not see the massive mass participation and obvious popularity of the transformation amounted to India totally not seeing the ground reality and missing out on any realistic assessment of what had happened. This, in my view, has prevented Indian policymakers from making a fact-based reality check.”

He concluded, “Compared to where we were, what Professor Yunus has achieved in the international arena so far is a miracle.”

Ashraf ud Doula—the retired and widely respected diplomat who was the Bangladeshi ambassador to Japan, Australia and other nations—focused in a recent article on how the government led by Professor Yunus performed on the home front. He began by evaluating the cabinet that had to be so hastily assembled after the sudden fall of the prior regime: “Though most of the cabinet members came from the NGO world and apparently lacked administrative experience, their unblemished records and ethical standards offered a silver lining. Their integrity and honesty had a positive psychological effect on their ministries and the broader society. The two student leaders who have been inducted into the cabinet, until now haven’t made any missteps, which, I believe, is a positive sign.”

He continued, “While it is too soon to claim remarkable achievements, the IG’s sincerity and commitment to guiding the nation toward a better path cannot be denied. In his two national addresses, the Chief Adviser clearly outlined the government’s objectives, including fundamental reforms to vital state institutions. Dr. Yunus has also made it clear that he has no desire to remain in power beyond fulfilling his mandate to rebuild the nation.”

He added, “Signs of progress are already visible, particularly in the banking and financial sectors. The government has taken steps to recover funds laundered by Hasina, her family, and her corrupt oligarchs. The surge in remittances from expatriates reflects growing trust in the new government.”

Asraf concluded his assessment at the two-month mark with these words, “As the head of the IG [Interim Government], Dr. Yunus has taken on the immense responsibility of guiding the nation not for personal gain, but out of patriotism. He has staked his global reputation to rescue a nation on the brink of collapse. In Dr. Yunus, we have not only an honest leader but also a man whose global goodwill brings benefits to Bangladesh. His reception at the UN exemplifies this. Dr. Yunus was a brilliant star on the global stage, holding over 50 meetings in four days, including with President Biden, heads of UN agencies, and leaders of financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank…  With Dr. Yunus at the helm, I am optimistic that the IG will complete its reform agenda and pave the way for a new, democratically elected government. In the meantime, I urge my fellow countrymen to be patient for a few more months and observe the direction the country takes.”

So let’s use the two-month anniversary to celebrate the early achievements of the government led by Professor Yunus, and to thank these two statesmen for commenting on them so eloquently. They captured the sense of pride and optimism so common in Bangladesh today due to a new style of leadership and early progress on fundamental and badly-needed reforms.

Professor Yunus arrived last night in New York for the U.N. General Assembly and related festivities. Today, he was greeted warmly by President Biden, Prime Minister Trudeau, World Bank president Ajay Banga, and many others. He made a surprise appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative. A substantive and energizing week is shaping up that will surely make Bangladesh and Bangladeshis proud.

In the meantime, Alex Counts, a longtime ally of Professor Yunus, had an important op-ed published about his weeks in Bangladesh this past summer where he witnessed the “Monsoon Revolution” that brought Professor Yunus to power.  He reports on visiting a village he got to know intimately in the 1990s, one with a large Hindu minority. (He wrote extensively about that village in his book Small Loans, Big Dreams.) During his August visit, he asked the people whether there had been hostility against minorities in the aftermath of the revolution, and they literally laughed in response. The local people — both Hindus and Muslims — added that they were very pleased that Professor Yunus was now the country’s leader.

For those who want to see Professor Yunus’ address to the United Nations, it will be at 10am New York time on September 27. It can be viewed on UN TV.

It is clearly a proud moment for Bangladesh. In fact, today the country is celebrating 50 years since it was admitted as a member of the United Nations.

When the government led by Professor Yunus completed its first month, the Protect Yunus Campaign published a review of it which appears below. Around the same time, Professor Yunus did a wide-ranging interview with DW, the German public broadcast service, in English. You can watch the interview here.

Just over one month ago, on August 8, 2024, Professor Yunus was sworn in as the Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh government, along with the 16 founding members of his cabinet. The Chief Adviser position is functionally the interim Prime Minister of the government.

In most countries around the world, there is a transition or at least a preparatory period where someone can gear up for taking on such an awesome responsibility. In the case of Professor Yunus, there was almost no time to prepare. The student-led revolution culminated on August 5, and he returned from a short and long-planned overseas trip and was inaugurated on August 8 after giving brief and widely praised remarks at the airport immediately after arriving.

Despite the many challenges it faces, his government has been doing extremely well. To wit:

1. The police returned to work, immediately improving the law and order situation and people’s sense of personal security.
2. He addressed the nation, and his 25-minute message was very well received. (You can read the English translation of his remarks here.)
3. He has taken tangible steps to protect and reassure the nation’s religious minorities, such as Hindus and Christians.
4. He had a positive call with Indian Prime Minister Modi, which has set the stage for further improvement in bilateral relations.
5. He has enlarged his cabinet and involved them in governing the country in meaningful ways.
6. He addressed the diplomatic community in one of his first speeches as Chief Adviser.
7. He helped secure pardons for 57 Bangladeshis arrested in the United Arab Emirates related to their rallying to support the Monsoon Revolution in August.

Bangladeshis understand that Professor Yunus walked into a difficult situation, with the economy on shaky footing and billions of dollars having been stolen by the prior regime and their cronies.

It is unfortunate that some commentators have been trying to create the impression of widespread attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindus. Some speculate that the stolen billions are being used to promote false and exaggerated claims of persecution through advertising. Fortunately, there has been some good reporting on the facts, including this article by the BBC. Obviously, even one extra-judicial death is one too many. But when you look at the confirmed numbers of deaths and the fact that even those few appear to be politically motivated (rather than based on religion), it puts the matter in a different light. One must also consider that Professor Yunus has been taking all the necessary steps to protect and reassure minority groups, consistent with this lifelong approach to respecting all people regardless of religion, caste, ethnicity, or any other consideration.

The Protect Yunus Campaign is in the process of rebranding itself in this new era, where we are going to be focusing on supporting Professor Yunus and Bangladesh. Expect a new website and new social media handles in the days ahead.

One of our early successes was orchestrating a message of support from 198 global leaders including 92 Nobel laureates and Barack Obama that was published on September 4 online, as part of a widely-circulated news release, and in a full-page ad in the Washington Post. The short and poignant message, which is reproduced in its entirety below, was covered widely in Bangladesh (including in this article in the Daily Star that termed the letter a “major show of international support”). It was seen as a vital vote of confidence at the international level for the government led by Professor Yunus.  

We the undersigned are excited to publicly share our congratulations and heartfelt good wishes to Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the new interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Professor Yunus, like others in Bangladesh, has suffered under the yoke of autocracy. Today, thanks to the power of a democratic and student-led protest, that autocracy has been replaced by hope. As Professor Yunus has said, Bangladesh is now enjoying its second liberation, and it has the chance to fulfill its great potential as a nation.  We have been proud to have supported Professor Yunus over the years. It is the beginning of an exciting new dawn for Bangladesh, and we wish him and the people of Bangladesh peace and success in the months and years ahead.   We are excited to see Professor Yunus finally free to work for the uplift of the entire country, especially the most marginalized, a calling he has pursued with great vigor and success across six decades. Just as the nation’s young people have inspired him, we know that he will inspire them to play a leadership role in bringing a bright new future to Bangladesh. We are also confident that he will inspire millions of young people around the world, including those in the Bangladeshi diaspora, to improve society for the better. We applaud the interim government’s commitment to bring free and fair elections back to Bangladesh and its commitment to allowing democracy to flourish.   We stand ready to help in any way we can to support the efforts of Bangladesh and the interim government to lead the world in creating a new and better civilization, as Professor Yunus has repeatedly called for.

Citizens around the world were encouraged to add their names as signatories of the letter, and many have already responded by doing so. In order to add your name, click here.

Next up will be Professor Yunus’ trip to New York to address the United Nations later this month, a trip for which he promised to take a “small, functional delegation” as compared to the bloated ones that accompanied previous Prime Ministers. Clearly, Professor Yunus is demonstrating a different style of leadership that is resonating well with the vast majority of Bangladeshis. To take one example, veteran journalist Shayan S. Khan, the Executive Editor of the Dhaka Courier, wrote this on his Facebook page after Dr. Yunus’ address to the nation: “ “That was all-business from Dr. Y, said all the right things with sincerity and resolve. How beautiful not to hear a political speech laced with cult worship, distorted history and ‘Me Me Me’ – the first person was always plural -‘We’. And didn’t evade the difficult question of how long they plan to stay. Carry on Professor…”

In the wake of the unprecedented student-led revolution in Bangladesh that culminated in the fall of the autocratic regime led by Sheikh Hasina and the installation of an interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, people throughout the world have been expressing their excitement and willingness to support the new regime and the Bangladeshi people. Students around the world have drawn inspiration from the courage displayed by their peers in Bangladesh, and mourned those who were lost in the struggle for freedom. Now, 198 global leaders including 92 Nobel laureates and Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, have added their own message of congratulations and support. The statement below was released on September 4, 2024 online, in a full-page ad in the Washington Post, and through a press release. Citizens who want to signal their own solidarity with the interim government in Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people can add their names to those of the global leaders by clicking here. 

A Message to the People of Bangladesh and Citizens of Goodwill Throughout the World

We the undersigned are excited to publicly share our congratulations and heartfelt good wishes to Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the new interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Professor Yunus, like others in Bangladesh, has suffered under the yoke of autocracy. Today, thanks to the power of a democratic and student-led protest, that autocracy has been replaced by hope. As Professor Yunus has said, Bangladesh is now enjoying its second liberation, and it has the chance to fulfill its great potential as a nation.  We have been proud to have supported Professor Yunus over the years. It is the beginning of an exciting new dawn for Bangladesh, and we wish him and the people of Bangladesh peace and success in the months and years ahead.   We are excited to see Professor Yunus finally free to work for the uplift of the entire country, especially the most marginalized, a calling he has pursued with great vigor and success across six decades. Just as the nation’s young people have inspired him, we know that he will inspire them to play a leadership role in bringing a bright new future to Bangladesh. We are also confident that he will inspire millions of young people around the world, including those in the Bangladeshi diaspora, to improve society for the better. We applaud the interim government’s commitment to bring free and fair elections back to Bangladesh and its commitment to allowing democracy to flourish.   We stand ready to help in any way we can to support the efforts of Bangladesh and the interim government to lead the world in creating a new and better civilization, as Professor Yunus has repeatedly called for.

Signed,

Nobel Laureates

Peace 

Barack H. Obama, Peace, 2009

H.E. José Ramos Horta, Peace, 1996

Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, Peace, 1976

Shirin Ebadi, Peace, 2003

Mohamed ElBaradei, Peace, 2005

Leymah Roberta Gbowee, Peace, 2011

Albert Arnold Gore Jr., Peace, 2007

Tawakkol Karman, Peace, 2011

Nadia Murad, Peace, 2018

Denis Mukwege, Peace, 2018

Dmitry Muratov, Peace, 2021

Oscar Arias Sanchez, Peace, 1987

Juan Manuel Santos, Peace, 2016

Jody Williams, Peace, 1997

Chemistry      

Thomas R. Cech, Chemistry, 1989

Emmanuelle Charpentier, Chemistry, 2020

Aaron Ciechanover, Chemistry, 2004

Johann Deisenhofer, Chemistry, 1988

Gerhard Ertl, Chemistry, 2007

Joachim Frank, Chemistry, 2017

Richard Henderson, Chemistry, 2017

Roald Hoffmann, Chemistry, 1981

Robert Huber, Chemistry, 1988

Martin Karplus, Chemistry, 2013

Brian K. Kobilka, Chemistry, 2012

Roger D. Kornberg, Chemistry, 2006

Yuan T. Lee, Chemistry, 1986

Robert J. Lefkowitz, Chemistry, 2012

Michael Levitt, Chemistry, 2013

Hartmut Michel, Chemistry, 1988

Paul L. Modrich, Chemistry, 2015

William E. Moerner, Chemistry, 2014

John C. Polanyi, Chemistry, 1986

Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Chemistry, 2016

Richard R. Schrock, Chemistry, 2005

Sir John E. Walker, Chemistry, 1997

Arieh Warshel, Chemistry, 2013

Sir M. Stanley Whittingham, Chemistry, 2019

Sir Gregory P. Winter, Chemistry, 2018

Economics     

Finn E. Kydland, Economics, 2004

Eric S. Maskin, Economics, 2007

Christopher A. Pissarides, Economics, 2010

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Economics, 2001

Literature                    

J. M. Coetzee, Literature, 2003

Elfriede Jelinek, Literature, 2004

Herta Muller, Literature, 2009

Wole Soyinka, Literature, 1986

Medicine                    

Werner Arber, Medicine, 1978

David Baltimore, Medicine, 1975

Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, Medicine, 2008

Mario R. Capecchi, Medicine, 2007

H. Robert Horvitz, Medicine, 2002

Sir Michael Houghton, Medicine, 2020

Tim Hunt, Medicine, 2001

Louis J. Ignarro, Medicine, 1998

William G. Kaelin Jr., Medicine, 2019

Barry J. Marshall, Medicine, 2005

Craig C. Mello, Medicine, 2006

Edvard Moser, Medicine, 2014

May-Britt Moser, Medicine, 2014

Charles M. Rice, Medicine, 2020

Sir Richard J. Roberts, Medicine, 1993

Michael Rosbash, Medicine, 2017

Randy W. Schekman, Medicine, 2013

Gregg L. Semenza, Medicine, 2019

Thomas C. Sudhof, Medicine, 2013

Jack W. Szostak, Medicine, 2009

Harold E. Varmus, Medicine, 1989

Eric F. Wieschaus, Medicine, 1995

Torsten N. Wiesel, Medicine, 1981

Physics                      

Hiroshi Amano, Physics, 2014

Barry Clark Barish, Physics, 2017

Steven Chu, Physics, 1997

Andre Geim, Physics, 2010

Sheldon Glashow, Physics, 1979

David J. Gross, Physics, 2004

Takaaki Kajita, Physics, 2015

Wolfgang Ketterle, Physics, 2001

Ferenc Krausz, Physics, 2023

Anthony J. Leggett, Physics, 2003

John C. Mather, Physics, 2006

Michel Mayor, Physics, 2019

Konstantin Novoselov, Physics, 2010

Roger Penrose, Physics, 2020

William D. Phillips, Physics, 1997

H. David Politzer, Physics, 2004

Donna Strickland, Physics, 2018

Kip Stephen Thorne, Physics, 2017

Carl E. Wieman, Physics, 2001

Robert Woodrow Wilson, Physics, 1978

David J. Wineland, Physics, 2012

Elected Officials & Business and Civil Society Leaders

Rza Aliyev, Senior Advisor to the Nizami Ganjavi International Center       

Joyce Banda, President of Malawi 2012-2014                     

Fábio Colletti Barbosa, UN Foundation Board Member                    

Marc Benioff, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce         

Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway 1997-2000, 2001-2005

Sir Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group

Gro Brundtland, Former Prime Minister of Norway, Former Director-General WHO

Sharan Burrow, Former General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation

Kathy Calvin, UN Foundation Board Member

Hikmet Cetin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey 1991-1994, Speaker of the Grand National  Assembly 1997-1999   

Julio Cobos, Vice President of Argentina 2007-2011

Emil Constantinescu, President of Romania 1996-2000

Elizabeth M. Cousens, President & CEO, UN Foundation

Mirko Cvetkovic, Prime Minister of Serbia 2008-2012

Sam Daley-Harris, Founder, RESULTS and Civic Courage

Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Roméo Dallaire, Founder, Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security

Abigail E. Disney, Filmmaker

Susan Elliott, President & CEO National Committee on American Foreign Policy  

Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador 2017-2018; Minister of Defense 2012-2014

Emmanuel Faber, Chair, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria 2000-2004; European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy 2004-2009; European  Commissioner for Trade and European Neighborhood Policy 2009-2010

Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner, Global Optimism

Vicente Fox, Former President of Mexico

Ron Garan, Former NASA Astronaut

Kul Gautam, Former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary General of the UN

Ryan Gellert, CEO, Patagonia

Pamela Gillies, Former Vice Chancellor and Professor Emerita, Glasgow Caledonian University

Peter C. Goldmark Jr., Former CEO Rockefeller Foundation and International Herald Tribune

Justice Richard Goldstone, South African Former Judge and Former Chief Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, President of Croatia 2015-2020

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius 2015-2018  

John Hewko, CEO, Rotary International

Andre Hoffmann, Vice Chair, Roche Holding AG                

Chad Holliday, Chair, Mission Possible Partnership             

Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO, Thrive Global

Mo Ibrahim, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Ilaha Ibrahimli, Deputy Secretary General Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoghlu, Secretary-General OIC 2004-2014

Mladen Ivanic, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2018

Ivo Josipovic, President of Croatia 2010-2015

Ilham Kadri, CEO, Syensqo

Mats Karlsson, Former Vice President of the World Bank   

Baroness Helena Kennedy, KC, Member of the House of Lords UK

Ted Kennedy Jr.

Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Joseph D. Kenner

Vinod Khosla, Venture Capitalist

Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations

Csaba Korosi, 77th President of the UN General Assembly

Jadranka Kosor, Prime Minister of Croatia 2009-2011         

Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine 1994-2005    

Aleksandr Kwasniewski, President of Poland 1995-2005     

Zlatko Lagumdižja, Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001-2002, Deputy Prime Minister 1993-1996, 2012-2015

Guilherme Leal, Co-Founder, Natura Cosmeticos, B Team Leader

Dr. Frannie Léautier, Senior Partner and CEO, Southbridge Group

Annie Lennox, Singer, Songwriter, and Activist

Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium 2008, 2009-2011

Isabelle de Leyritz, Former CEO, Engie; Co-founder and CEO, Blunomy

Andrew Liveris, Chairman Emeritus and Former CEO, Dow Chemical

Eugene A. Ludwig, Founder and Former CEO and Chairman, Promontory Financial Group; Former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency 

Igor Luksic, Prime Minister of Montenegro 2010-2012

Susana Malcorra, Former Foreign Minister of Argentina

Moussa Mara, Prime Minister of Mali 2014-2015     

Paul Maritz, Former CEO of VMWare

Rexhep Meidani, President of Albania 1997-2002

Aichatao Mindadaoudou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger 1999-2010; UN Special Representative for Cote d’Ivoire

Hiro Mizuno, UN Special Envoy on Innovative Finance and Sustainable Investments

Juan Carlos Mora, CEO, Bancolombia

Michael Moskow, Former President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago            

Amre Moussa, Secretary-General, Arab League 2001-2011; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt  1991-2001

Rovshan Muradov, Secretary General Nizami Ganjavi International Center

Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta 2013-2020

Jean Oelwang, Founding CEO and President, Virgin United

Djoomart Otorbayev, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan 2014-2015

Dr. Michael Otto, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Otto Group

Milica Pejanovic-Durisic, Minister of Defense of Montenegro 2012-2016

Jan Piercy, Former US Executive Director, The World Bank

Rosen Plevneliev, President of Bulgaria 2012-2017

Paul Polman, Business Leader

Robert Post, Professor of Law, Yale Law School

Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta 2014-2019 

Donald Riegle, Former U.S. Senator from the State of Michigan; Former Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Development

Sir Malcom Rifkind, KC, Former UK Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary

Rt Hon Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Former Secretary General, NATO

Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland

Ellen Seidman, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

Hedva Ser, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO

Ismail Serageldin, Co-Chair Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Vice President of the World Bank 1992-2000

Rosalia Arteago Serrano, President of Ecuador 1997

Wayne Silby, Founder, Calvert Investments

Yeardley Smith, Actress

Petar Stoyanov, President of Bulgaria 1997-2002

Laimdota Straujuma, Prime Minister of Latvia 2014-2016

Dr. David Suzuki, Prof. Emeritus, University of British Columbia

Boris Tadic, President of Serbia 2004-2012

Jewel Howard Taylor, Vice President of Liberia 2018-2024

Ted Turner, Founder and Chair of the UN Foundation Board of Directors; Chairman, Turner Enterprises; Founder, CNN

Cassam Uteem, President of Mauritius 1992-1997  

Melanne S. Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University

HE Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Co-chair Nizami Ganjavi International Center, President of Latvia 1999-2007

Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro 2003-2018

Jimmy Wales, Co-Founder and Internet Entrepreneur, Wikipedia

Timothy E. Wirth, Former U.S. Senator, Colorado

Antonio Zanardi Landi, Former Diplomatic Adviser to the Italian President; Ambassador of the Military Order of Malta to Vatican

Valdis Zatlers, President of Latvia 2007-2011

Note: A version of this message published in the Washington Post inaccurately referred to signer Joseph D. Kenner as being currently associated with Greyston. We regret the error, which was due entirely to a mistake made by the Protect Yunus Campaign.

Supportive Citizens

Philippe Axus, Saint-Verain, France

Golam Mortaza, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Sabrina Quaraishi, Washington DC, USA

Michael Wirtz, Cologne, Germany

Jason Bajaj, Hong Kong

Nasser Alkahtani, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Mohammad Ullah, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Muhammad Abdullah Al Farabi, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abdul Kadir, Saarbrücken, Germany

Jayadur Rahman, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Mohammad Zahinul Islam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

MD Siam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ketan Raikar, Mumbai, India

MD YUSUF, Buffalo, NY, USA

Shah Kawthar Mustafa Abululayee, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Qudsia Huda, Geneva, Switzerland

Mohammad Nazmul Hassan Bhuiyan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Naushad Hossain, Fullerton, USA

Mohammad Imtiazur Rahman, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Syed Omar Faruk Towaha, Upmintser, United Kingdom

Faysal Ahmed, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Samiur Rahman, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Shafiqul Islam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Major Md Yousuf Hossain (Rtd), Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh

Mohammad Ferozuddin, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Syed Arif Niazi, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Faysal Hossain, Sonaimuri, Noakhali, Bangladesh

Zia Ashraf, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md Robiul Islam, Michigan, USA

Mahedi Hasan, Lubbock, USA

Ariful Chowdhury, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Fahim Zubair, Cedar Hill, USA

Md Nazrul Islam, Cumilla, Bangladesh

Prof. Dr. Aziz Akgul, Ankara, Turkey

Farhana Rahman, Marietta, USA

Mian Adnan, Albany, USA

Farhan Khan Chowdhury, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Gafur Abdul, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md Mostafizur Rahman, Jamaica, USA

Towfique Ahmad Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rezwan Rahman, Conroe, USA

ASIF RONY, San Marcos, USA

Farzana Khan, Johns creek, USA

Muhammad Mustafa, Austin, USA

Mohammad Shamsul Alam, New York, USA

Md Ahadur Rahman Dawan, Bangladesh

Mohammad Shamsul Alam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Kerstin Rücker, Wiesbaden, Germany

Tawsif Dowla, Vancouver, Canada

Riyad Hossain, London, United Kingdom

Sadia Sultana, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Javed Helali, Pflugerville, USA

Murtaza Abrar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Prof Tapan Sarker, Brisbane, Australia

Aranya Syed, London, United Kingdom

Shahriar Anwar, Chandler, USA

Zakia Meraj, Los Angeles, USA

Abdus Sattar, Cupertino, USA

Nawarul Gafur Samin, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dr. Ishrat Rafique Eshita, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sakil Saikat, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sagar Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mohammad Farhad Hossain, Noakhali, Bangladesh

Dominique V. Dauster, WIESBADEN, Germany

Abdullah Al Nayim, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Anjum Islam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Iftakhar Bhuiyan, Melbourne, Australia

Shihab Quader, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nizam U MIAJI, Melbourne, Australia

Kawser Jamal, San Francisco, USA

Shayela Sharmeen, Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom

Naheed Atiq, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abedul Hoq Chowdhury, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Asif Hazarika, Sunnyvale, USA

Katrina Dunn, Perth, Australia

Julia Wilson, Del Mar, USA

Yeardley Smith, Los Angeles, USA

Filipe Charters, Lisboa, Portugal

Zabir Solihen Dipro, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Gordon Knowles, Brisbane, Australia

Kayoko Tsuchiya, Tokyo, Japan

Elisabetta Righini, Urbino, Italy

Zubaida Bai, Colorado, USA

Mohammad Imran Hossain, New York, USA

Gafur Abdul, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mohammed Mominul Haque, Toronto, Canada

Suresh Krishna, Bangalore, India

Farhat Shafi Chowdhury, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Sabrina Scherzer, Trondheim, Norway

Aitor Ojanguren, Madrid, Spain

Malcolm Hayday, Bedar, Spain

Cam Donaldson, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Tarique Choyon, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Marilu Germscheid, Lugano, Switerland

Algis Krupavicius, Kaunas, Lithuania

Marc Tolo, Lawrenceville, USA

Morshed Nasir, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dr. Azizur Rahman, Toronto, Canada

Sarah Anderson, Tunbridge wells, United Kingdom

Paolo Polidori, Urbino, Italy

Mohammad Saiful Islam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Afsana Hye, New York, USA

ALICIA HAYDEE JUBERT, LA PLATA, ARGENTINA

Asm Amjad Hossain, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Adnan Zaman, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sanya Singh, Kanpur, India

Alamgir Hosen, Chuadanga, Bangladesh

Pritha Kabir, Khulna, Bangladesh

Joy Bangla, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Pie Phi, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Azizul Hossain, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Taimur Arif, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mostafijur Rahman, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rafin Rahman, Narayanganj, Bangladesh

rafi khan, chattogram, Bangladesh

Shorif Miah, Moulvibazar, Bangladesh

MH Bappi, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Arjun Das, Sunamganj, Bangladesh

Anwar Merchant, Toronto, Canada

MOHAMMED BILLAL HOSSAIN, Jhenaidaho, Bangladesh

Md Razu, Faridpur, Bangladesh

Md Riaz Uddin Kiron, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Humayun Kabir, HAMILTON, Canada

Sakib Hossain, Feni, Bangladesh

Golam Mohiuddin Sifat, cumilla, Bangladesh

Raiyan Rahman, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md Yousuf Ahmed Emon, Noakhali, Bangladesh

Mamun Hasan, Chattogram, Bangladesh

ASHADUL ISLAM, Lephalale, South Africa

Limon Hasan, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Humayun Murtada Zaman, Ilford, United Kingdom

Md Azharul Islam, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Shorforaj Shipon, Bogura, Bangladesh

Mark Ocean, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md Riaz, Barisal, Bangladesh

Tawhid Hasan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Syed Rafsan Ali, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Gazi Golam Zakaria Jyoti, Dubai, UAE

Shah Mohammad Sharwar Shamim, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md.Ismail Hossain, chittagong, Bangladesh

Juwel Ahmed, Muscat, Oman

Sven Pastowski, Herzogenaurach, Germany

Labib Ul Hasan, Thakurgaon, Bangladesh

md shohag babu, Sapahar Naogaon, Bangladesh

ahad alam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sofikul islam Dipu, Lakshmipur, Bangladesh

Tahsin Sarwar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Arif Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

OMAR FARUQUE, Comilla, Bangladesh

Abdul Halim, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Forhad Hossain, Fukuoka, Japan

Daniel Ayebare, Kampala, Uganda

Rahmat Ali Sagor, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ariful Haque, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Muhammad Sanuwar, Jawa bazar, chattak, Sunamganj, Bangladesh

MD Saif Ullah, Noakhali, Bangladesh

Md Sabuj Sarker, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ahasan Habib, Montreal, Canada

Iqbal Uddin, Dhaka, Bangladesh

TAUMIC ISLAM, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Gias Babo, Cumilla, Bangladesh

Mahmud Jaman, Nilphamari, Bangladesh

Nazim Uddin, Saint Malo, France

Humayun Al-Rasheed, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Maliha Mehzabin, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Hasibul Hossain Shanto, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Faysal Ahmed, Parbatipur, Bangladesh

Unni Beate Sekkesæter, Tana, Norway

Anower Solim, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Scott Leckman, Salt Lake City, USA

Mili Samira Hossain, Fukuoka, Japan

Sajid Kabir Saji, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Mohammad Yeasin, Chattogram, Bangladesh

Mohammad Ferozuddin, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nahid Ul Morsaleen, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Marjanah Boksh, London, United Kingdom

Moheshwar Amarnath Biswas, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Farid Uddin Farid Uddin, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Sihab Talukder, Lisbon, Portugal

Md. Firojul Ferdous, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Shahriar Hasan Abir, Chattogram, Bangladesh

Luisa Brunori, Bologna, Italia

MD AKTARUZZAMAN, Dhaka, Bangladesh

On August 25, Professor Yunus gave a well-received, 25-minute address to the nation from his office. This recording of it in Bengali has received more than 3 million views, and nearly 19,000 comments have been posted in response to it. Shayan Khan, the executive editor of the Dhaka Courier, the Bangladeshi equivalent of Time magazine in the U.S., wrote this about the speech on his Facebook page: “That was all-business from Dr. Y, said all the right things with sincerity and resolve. How beautiful not to hear a political speech laced with cult worship, distorted history and ‘Me Me Me’ – the first person was always plural -‘We’. And didn’t evade the difficult question of how long they plan to stay. Carry on Professor…”

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

My fellow citizens, I salute all the children, adolescents, young people, students, and old men and women of the country.

Assalamualaikum.

I welcome you all to the new Bangladesh, a product of the student revolution.

I pay the deepest respect to all those who died in the student-people revolution against fascism in July and August. May their souls rest in peace. I want to tell you something about the promise to build a new Bangladesh in return for their sacrifice.

I am saying today’s words, remembering those who have died, those who have been injured or fallen ill, and those who have lost everything and who are living in misery due to the terrible floods. We have taken initiatives at the government and private levels to stabilise the lives of the flood victims quickly. We have started discussions internally and with our neighbours to prevent all types of floods in the future.

Fellow citizens, you know that the students and people who led this revolution have entrusted me with a great responsibility at this critical time for the nation.  They want to build a new Bangladesh. I have joined the new generation as a friend in their struggle to make this aspiration a reality. I call upon all people of all ages, all professions, all opinions, and all religions to join this struggle without hesitation. 

Fellow citizens, the Bangladesh that we got in exchange for the blood of millions of martyrs and the sacrifice of millions of mothers and sisters have been destroyed at the hands of fascism and autocracy. You’ve seen how they’ve destroyed each of our institutions. Corruption has crept into the country.  Our country has been transformed into one where even the peons of an autocrat have done unimaginable things like amassing wealth worth 400 crore taka [1 crore = 10 million] through corruption. The education sector has been crippled, there has been looting in the banking and stock market sectors, and world records have been set in project expenditure. There has been unbridled money laundering, turning law enforcement agencies into puppets of a single party, snatching freedom of speech, snatching human rights—and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The fascist government has curtailed the constitutional powers and rights of the people to grab power. Misrule, corruption, injustice, oppression, and farce in the name of justice have endangered public security. People have been exposed to oppression and deprivation and discrimination. The voting rights of millions of people, including the new generation, have been snatched away over the years. By creating all kinds of obstacles in the way of the advancement of the people, the autocrat has taken ownership of the country in her own hands, and shared them with a few people in her family and party.  

Fellow citizens, we have to build the Bangladesh of our dreams at this moment.  I am committed to fulfilling the dream of the students and the people with which they jumped into the movement for a state without discrimination and exploitation.  I invite all of you to come forward with all your might to fulfill this dream today. Their dreams are our dreams. The youth have created a great opportunity in our national life. We urge everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.

After the head of the fascist government left the country in the face of public anger, we want to build a country where the human rights of every citizen will be fully protected. We have only one goal: a liberal, democratic, and non-discriminatory Bangladesh where all communities live peacefully together.  We are one family. We have one goal.  We are committed to ensuring that no form of discrimination can disrupt our dreams. 

Only two weeks have passed since the present government took office. Thank you for the support we are receiving from you in reforming the state in the first phase of our journey. We understand that you have high expectations for us. We are committed to fulfilling those expectations. However, the long absence of democracy—15 years of fascist rule—had left us with mountain-like challenges on almost every front.  But we are ready to take on this challenge. 

Today I have come before you to seek your blessings and cooperation on behalf of the government. I would just request that you be a little patient. Now we have to get out of the tendency to try to push that all our demands to be fulfilled through threats and litigation, and attacks. The glory and potential of the student revolution will fade away in these activities, and the efforts to build a new Bangladesh will also be hampered.

It is difficult to overcome this situation overnight. Our society is built on a shaky foundation. Rebuilding it on that foundation is risky. We want to build Bangladesh from here in such a way that the people are the real source of all power in this country. It is appreciated as a successful state serving the welfare of the people in the eyes of the world. We must be successful in reforming the state to honour the sacrifices of the young generation, students, and people. There is no other alternative. 

Fellow citizens, as you are already aware, we have invited the head of the UN Human Rights Commission to come to Bangladesh and start their investigation into the tragic incidents of use of force and casualties during the mass upsurge in July and August. The investigation will begin this week. Their first group has already arrived. 

We have already withdrawn most of the hundreds of false and harassment cases filed to thwart the student and people’s revolution, and arranged for the release of the students and other people who have been detained. People will be freed from suffering by taking similar measures in all false and fictitious cases gradually.

The families of all the martyrs of the mass uprising will be rehabilitated to ensure justice. The government will bear the entire cost of treatment of all the injured students and the public. To that end, a complete list is being prepared by the Ministry of Health with the help of two advisers representing the Student Movement Against Discrimination in the advisory council.

For this programme and to preserve the memory of the martyrs of the mass uprising, the government has quickly brought the process of establishing a foundation named “July Genocide Memorial Foundation” to its final stage. I request that all brothers and sisters living abroad send donations to this foundation. I have personally accepted the position of chairman of this organisation.

Fellow citizens, you have noticed that after assuming office, we had to handle the unstable situation in the law and order arena. With your cooperation and support, all members of law enforcement agencies have resumed work. Due to the extreme politicization of the fascist government’s administration, a large number of officials and employees have been discriminated against for a long time. We have already started taking corrective measures. However, it takes time to keep the administration moving forward and, at the same time, come to the right decision by following appropriate procedures. That’s why I request everyone to be patient. One of our objectives is to restore the confidence of the people in all areas of our government.

We have taken initiatives to ensure good governance in the banking sector, which has become an arena for looting and corruption. Skilled people are being recruited to help us do this. We have initiated initiatives to bring order to the banking sector, create a supportive environment for business, and bring the prices of daily necessities and inflation under control to make people’s lives easier.

The Banking Commission will be constituted for long term reforms in the financial sector. A vision for the overall situation and reforms in the financial sector will be developed, which will be made public soon. Quick steps are being taken to resolve the extreme chaos in these areas, including the stock market and transport sector.

A police commission will be formed with the aim of creating a police force that is oriented to the public interest, free from party influence, and accountable. Necessary reforms will be carried out under the leadership of the Commission by looking into the UN investigative report and in consultation with all responsible agencies and the public. Measures will be taken so that no one can ever again turn Bangladesh into a police state.

The free flow of information and freedom of the press will be ensured. Fascist regimes also burdened the media with factionalism and harassment. We are committed to ensuring people’s right to information. Existing legal and other barriers to the free flow of information will be removed. All oppressive clauses in laws that impede freedom of expression will be amended. This process has already been initiated by identifying such laws.

We have already lifted the unwritten ban on foreign journalists coming to the country. Officials have been instructed to issue visas to foreign journalists quickly. We hope that members of the media will continue their impartial journalism in this changing situation.

The previous government established extreme anarchy in the education sector. We will reform it completely. It is one of our top priorities. You know that all educational institutions have been reopened since we took charge. It is our commitment to ensure a creative, safe, and fear-free environment for students. At the same time, the work of modernising the curriculum will also start soon.

Local government institutions will be strengthened to consolidate democracy, and decentralisation of power will be ensured. Free, fair, and participatory elections will be organised by completing necessary reforms in the administration, judiciary, election commission and electoral system, the law and order sector, and ensuring information flow to make the student revolution a success. Its goal will be the beginning of an accountable political process that prevents corruption, looting, and genocide.

The present government has taken a clear stand against corruption.  All our advisers will disclose their asset details as soon as possible. It will also become regular and mandatory for all government officials gradually.  An ordinance will be promulgated to appoint the ombudsman, as promised under Article 77 of the Constitution, to take action against corruption at the state level. 

Now, let’s talk a little about the agricultural sector. In agrarian-dependent Bangladesh, it will be ensured that the interests of the farmers are protected, and that the farmers get a fair price for their produce.

People gratefully remember the way migrant workers supported the Student Movement Against Discrimination. Respectful treatment for them will be ensured at all levels.

The health sector in Bangladesh is one of the most corrupt sectors. Necessary reforms will be carried out in the health sector to ensure adequate health services for the people. All concerned in this sector will be held accountable. Initiatives will be taken to modernise hospitals, and the regular presence of government doctors, including specialists, will be ensured. We are determined to take the necessary initiatives so that health services do not remain concentrated in certain regions; we will ensure that people in all regions of the country get equal health services.

The current generation is much more aware than previous ones.  They are not only aware of the changes taking place in different parts of the world, but they are also leading the way. The development they envision is sustainable and environmentally friendly. They understand that development must not destroy nature. GDP alone cannot be the yardstick of a country’s development. Development that destroys and pollutes rivers, canals, mountains, forests, soil, and air is not sustainable in the long term. Our government’s position is consistent with environmentalists’ opposition to fossil fuels. There is no alternative to reducing carbon emissions to zero to prevent climate change and leave a healthy world for future generations. Our government will give utmost importance to the environment and climate protection. The youth community will be engaged in this work.

Already, various states and the United Nations have expressed support for the program of the current government. We will maintain friendly relations with all states. Our foreign policy will be based on mutual trust, confidence, and cooperation. We respect all international laws, including human rights laws. Various steps have been taken by us, including becoming a party to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. We will implement all regional and bilateral agreements and understandings already entered into.

Our government will work with the international community to find a realistic solution to the Rohingya issue.

We believe in national unity. With the aim of necessary reforms, political unity will ensure that women, children, the disabled, religious minorities, and ethnic minorities are all considered full citizens of this country and entitled to equal protection under our laws. Efforts will be made to ensure all their human rights and other rights. For this reason, I have appointed a special assistant with the rank of adviser, whose responsibility will be to promote national integration.

We have activated all the arms of the government to provide proper assistance to alleviate the sufferings of all the people in the flood affected areas. In the meantime, the advisers have gone to the area.  A control room has been set up in my office.  Post-flood measures have been taken, and steps are being taken to determine what needs to be done to control floods in the future.

The army, police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and RAB have been stigmatised by abduction and torture. They are the pride of the country. We don’t want to see the whole force tarnished because of some of their overzealous members. We want to identify the culprits and punish them. So that in the future, no member of any national force, the police, or RAB dares get involved in killings, disappearances, and torture at the behest of anyone. No matter what order comes to them from high authorities, they will ignore it, if it violates fundamental rights. In the future, any explanation that they had been compelled to commit such a heinous act by the order of a higher authority would not be accepted by anyone.

I have directed the country’s defense forces, police, and all other forces to identify and bring to justice those who are directly involved in killings, disappearances, or physical and mental torture. I have asked them to prepare a list of those who have disappeared and been killed. I have no words to console their families. We will continue our efforts to restore peace to their lives. I have directed all the country’s defense forces and law enforcement agencies to take all measures to restore people’s full confidence in them.

A committee has already been formed to prepare a white paper on the corruption, money laundering, signing of anti-public interest agreements, looting in the name of projects, and so on that we have seen these last 15 years.

I have met with ambassadors and representatives of donor agencies in various countries and will keep doing it. I request that they provide all kinds of financial and other support for building the country after the student uprising. They are showing interest in it.  We have taken measures to formulate our proposals for them and send them quickly. I have also requested that they take measures to release the funds immediately due to the urgent needs of today. I also told them that the situation we are going through is catastrophic, as well as a great opportunity in the life of the nation. I sought their cooperation so that we could fully utilise this opportunity.

Bangladeshis living abroad have played a very important role in this mass uprising.  The nation will remember their contributions.  We will seek their participation in building a new Bangladesh. 

One of our targets will be to ensure that every expatriate worker who goes abroad and returns home are treated with dignity and respect. Necessary steps will be taken soon in this regard. I appeal to all the people living abroad to send their earned money to the country through official channels.  This money is especially needed to overcome the economic crisis of the country.  We will take their advice on what measures will make it easier for them to send money through official channels.

The whole country is immersed in a sea of bribery.  Give us advice on how we can get rid of bribery.  Only if we can move forward with this work, I think this government will be remembered for making an important contribution to the country.  I promise that I will devote all my full energy to this.

It is our responsibility to bind all the people of the country into one family.  There will be differences in the family.  There will be arguments.  But we are brothers and sisters, we are parents.  We are not anyone’s enemy. We will not consider anyone an enemy for expressing their opinion.  We will not consider anyone an enemy because of religion.  We will not think of anyone as an enemy because of their gender. We are all equal.  None are above or below anyone else.  We want to establish this idea in all spheres of national life.

We need your help in a particular matter.  Since we took office, rallies have been held every day at the secretariat, around my office, and in different parts of the city. You have accumulated many sorrows over the past 15 years. We understand that. If you don’t let us work, all avenues for overcoming this sorrow will be closed. I ask you to let us work.  Give us what you want in writing.  We are not your opponents. We will do whatever is legally justified.  But don’t besiege us and obstruct our work on these important days.  Please explain to them that they should not obstruct our important daily work at this time to draw attention to their complaints.

One thing everyone is curious to know is when our government will leave.  The answer is in your hands. When will you send us off? None of us are the people to rule the country. We find pleasure in our respective professions. We have taken this responsibility at the call of the students during a time of national crisis.  We will fulfill this responsibility with all our might.  Our advisers are motivated by this goal and are working together as a team. It is purely a political decision when the election will be held, not ours. The country people have to decide when you will send us off.

We are here at the call of the students. They are our primary employers.  The general public of the country supported our appointment. We will quit when we are asked. We will also reform the Election Commission as part of the reform. We will keep the commission ready for an ideal election at any time. 

We have started various reforms. I would request that the Bangladeshi people start a discussion what the minimum amount of work we have to complete and what can be done partially.  Through this discussion, we can get clear direction.  But the final decision is a political decision. Political decisions will come from political discussions. Without this directive, we will not be able to move forward firmly in negotiations with donor countries and international financial institutions.

I assure you that we will not raise any question of extension from our side. We want the blessings of all of you. In the many days we are here, we want to ensure that every member of the advisory council can use their own talents to the best of their ability to overcome the crisis in the country.

We have all earned the opportunity to build a new Bangladesh in exchange for the blood of the students and other martyrs. We do not want to miss this opportunity due to our differences. If we lose this opportunity, we will be defeated as a nation.  We want to remain committed to the martyrs, the injured,, and the surviving students and people. We will not let this achievement be lost.  We have taken an oath to make our country a respectable, exemplary country in all directions through the opportunities they have given us. 

Finally, once again, I seek blessings from all the people of our country—children, adolescents, young people and old people, that we succeed in realising our dream.

May Allah help us and bless us all.

Yesterday was a rather surreal day in Bangladesh’s capital, in the best possible ways. 

At a few minutes after 2pm local time, Professor Yunus returned to Bangladesh from Paris and was greeted by his team and by various dignitaries from government, the military, civil society, the media, and student leaders. It was all broadcast live on national television. The reporters bought time for his arrival and short speech by talking about Dr. Yunus’ national and global leadership on microcredit, social business, the Olympics, and even Grameen Check (fabric woven by Grameen weavers that Dr. Yunus always wears clothing made out of)!

When Dr. Yunus went in front of the cameras to give an 8 minute speech, he did so without notes and with only about a dozen student leaders standing behind him. The television commentators later noted that neither his family, his colleagues at Grameen Bank/Yunus Centre, the military, nor government people were standing with him–only student leaders. It was thought to be symbolically important that he orchestrated his first statement in Bangladesh this way.

His speech, which naturally was in Bengali, was perfect. (You can view a video of the speech here, and read an English translation of it here.) Professor Yunus touched all the right bases, acknowledging the students’ leadership in winning the “second independence for Bangladesh,” calling for calm and no violence, choking up noticeably when he talked about the martyr Abu Sayed (killed in cold blood last month by the government, which was captured on a grisly video that has been viewed millions of times), saying that attacks on anyone for any reason were antithetical to Bangladesh’s needs right now, and calling Bangladesh “one family” while naming each religious minority as being part of that family and that they should be protected.

Furthermore, he called on each and every citizen to protect what he called the second independence or revolution. He lauded the students and said they had inspired not just Bangladesh but young people around the world. He said that the independence that had been won needed to be manifested in every home in the country. He said that if people were not willing to listen to his calls to stop the violence and the attacks, he would relinquish his role and return to his work as a private citizen. He briefly acknowledged the armed forces and government people, but again it was noticeable that they were seated, and the students were behind him. Here is an article that contains the highlights of the speech and related reporting.

Earlier today, it was announced that the Labor Tribunal conviction against him and three others that had been announced on January 1 has been dismissed. We hope and expect that the Anti-Corruption Case is not far behind in being dismissed.

A correspondent for a national TV station said that Grameen Bank sent its managing director and some colleagues to the airport to greet Professor Yunus. It is good to see a reconciliation between Grameen Bank and its founder in process.

The swearing in took place a few hours later and can be viewed here. Dr. Yunus’ longtime colleague Nurjahan Begum was one of the 16 ministers who will form the government with him. She was also a defendant in the meritless cases lodged against him. Also, two student leaders will serve.

While the typical length of time for a caretaker government in Bangladesh is 90 days, there is much talk of this government being longer, in part because the students have reportedly demanded it. They and others think that this interim government needs time to make some reforms before giving the main parties a chance to run again. One of the traditional parties is lobbying to have an election in 90 days, which they would probably win by default. There is not much support for that position, but their demands must be dealt with. Many tricky decisions lie ahead.

All in all, Professsor Yunus got off to a very strong start. It was hard not to get choked up watching it all, especially when you consider where Professor Yunus and those of us who consider ourselves allies were just one week ago.

Upon arriving at Dhaka’s international airport in Dhaka on July 8, Professor Yunus gave brief remarks in front of assembled dignitaries that were broadcast live on national television. Below is an English translation of the remarks that were delivered in Bengali.

Assalamualaikum. Today is a day of glory for us. The revolution through which Bangladesh has earned its new victory day, we have to put that forward and move forward with more strength. 

I wholeheartedly appreciate and admire the young generation, who have made this possible. They are standing right beside me. They have saved this country and given it a new life. And may the Bangladesh that we got today through this rebirth, can move forward very fast. This is our oath and we want to keep it. We want to move forward. We remember Abu Sayed today, the image of whom resides in the heart of all the Bangladeshi people. No one can forget that.

What an unbelievably brave boy! Standing in front of guns! No youth accepted defeat after they saw his bravery. They moved forward and said shoot as much as you can, but we will stand our ground. For them, the movement spread across Bangladesh. For them, Bangladesh achieved its independence for the second time. We must preserve this freedom and every home must benefit from it. Otherwise, this freedom will be meaningless. To benefit from this freedom is our oath and our sole promise.  We have to do it, we have to reach every home. People must know that the meaning of a free Bangladesh is the change in themselves, their opportunities, and their children’s future. Everyone must understand this.

And to make today’s young generation understand that the country is in their hands, and they have to build it as they desire. They were able to free us, they will be able to build the nation as they desire. And the whole world will learn how the youth can take the responsibility of the country into their hands and change it as they see fit. I always advise others to give up the old ways of thinking; we cannot be free with a backward mentality. This is not only relevant for Bangladesh but it is a universal truth. The power and creativity of the youth need to be used. It should not be limited to textbooks only. Power and creativity should be expressed. They have the power to build. Today our job is to clean up all the infrastructure for the students.  

There is something called government in Bangladesh, but the citizens didn’t have any faith left in it. They think of it as a machinery of oppression and suppression. Whenever the government gets the chance, it only exploits. This is the image of the government in Bangladesh. But it is not the right image. The citizens must be proud of their government, they must believe that their government will help and protect them and will be available for them in times of need. But the government never did any of it for them.

The government we will form will protect the citizens, and they will have faith in their government. The citizens will not be forced to do it, rather they will do it willingly and they will think of the representatives of the government as their own. They will know that this person will protect them. We must bring this faith back in the citizens. Then the citizens will work with us, they are afraid to do so now. 

Bangladesh is one big family and we want to march forward together. We want to clear all the doubts and conflicts.  We want to help those who have followed the wrong path so that they can find the right one. We have to work together. On our way here, I heard that there is a breakdown in law and order. People are attacking each other, burning down properties and looting them, attacking offices, and attacking minorities like Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, etc. All of these are a part of a conspiracy, these are not done by us. Our job is to protect them. We must protect everyone. They are our brothers and sisters, we must protect them and bring back discipline. Chaos and violence are the enemies of development and progress.

They are the enemies of the new journey that we have begun. We must make them realize it. It should be gained through discussions or legal actions. But we should not be violent and must not take the law into our hands. And our law enforcement forces must be trustworthy too. They must not be prone to corruption. We must restore trust. Restoring law and order is our priority. We cannot take steps towards development until law and order are restored. All of you have put your faith in me, the students have invited me and I’ve responded to their invitation. I have a request to the people of this country.

If all of you trust me and have faith in me, then please make sure that nobody in the country gets attacked. This is our priority. If I cannot ensure this and if all of you don’t listen to me, then my presence has no effect here. Then please bid me farewell. I’ll be busy with my own work. If you think that you need me, then please prove to me that you listen to me. If you don’t listen to me, I’m not needed here. My first request is that please save the country from chaos and violence so that we can follow the path that our students have shown us. Bangladesh has the potential to become a very beautiful country. We have ruined its potential but now we have to bring it back.

They will prepare the seedbed. It will be done by them and we will follow their actions. Following their suggestions, we will step forward. I request all the government officials, Army, Navy, and Air Force Chiefs that we are a family and there must not be any clash between us.

The Yunus Centre issued two press releases today, August 7. The first announced that Professor Yunus was returning to Bangladesh on August 8 in the afternoon. The second was an urgent message to his fellow citizens to remain calm, to calm others, and above all to refrain from violence. That message appears below in Bengali and English.

প্রেস রিলিজ

দেশবাসীর উদ্দেশ্যে প্রফেসর ইউনূসের বক্তব্য:

“আমি সাহসী ছাত্রদেরকে  অভিনন্দন জানাই যারা আমাদের দ্বিতীয় বিজয় দিবসকে বাস্তবে রূপ দিতে নেতৃত্ব দিয়েছে এবং অভিনন্দন জানাই দেশের আপামর জনসাধারণকে যাঁরা ছাত্রদের এই আন্দোলনে পূর্ণ সমর্থন দিয়েছেন। আসুন আমরা আমাদের এই নতুন বিজয়ের সর্বোত্তম সদ্ব্যব্যবহার নিশ্চিত করি। আমাদের কোনো প্রকার ভুলের কারণে আমাদের এই বিজয় যেন হাতছাড়া হয়ে না যায়। আমি সকলকে বর্তমান পরিস্থিতিতে শান্ত থাকতে এবং সব ধরনের সহিংসা  এবং স্থাবর ও অস্থাবর সম্পদ বিনষ্ট করা থেকে বিরত থাকতে আহ্বান জানাচ্ছি এবং ছাত্র ও দলমত নির্বিশেষে সকলকে শান্ত থাকার জন্য অনুরোধ করছি। আমাদের প্রিয় এই সুন্দর ও বিপুল সম্ভাবনাপূর্ণ দেশটিকে আমাদের নিজেদের ও পরবর্তী প্রজন্মের জন্য রক্ষা করা এবং একে এগিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়াই এখন আমাদের প্রধান কাজ। একটি নতুন পৃথিবী বিনির্মাণে আমাদের তরুণরা প্রস্তুত। অকারণ সহিংসতা করে এই সুযোগটি আমরা হারাতে পারিনা। সহিংসতা আমাদের সকলেরই শত্রু। অনুগ্রহ করে শত্রু সৃষ্টি করবেন না। সকলে শান্ত থাকুন  এবং দেশ পুনর্গঠনে এগিয়ে আসুন। 

“অনুগ্রহ করে নিজে শান্ত থাকুন এবং আপনার আশেপাশের সকলকে শান্ত থাকতে সহায়তা করুন।”

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Press Release

Statement from Professor Muhammad Yunus:

“I congratulate the brave students who took the lead in making our Second Victory Day possible and to the people for giving your total support to them. Let us make the best use of our new victory.  Let us not let this slip away because of our mistakes. I fervently appeal to everybody to stay calm. Please refrain from all kinds of violence. I appeal to all students, members of all political parties and non-political people to stay calm.  This is our beautiful country with lots of exciting possibilities. We must protect and make it a wonderful country for us and for our future generations.

“Our youth is ready to give this leadership in creating a new world. Let us not miss the chance by going into any senseless violence.  Violence is our enemy.  Please don’t create more enemies. Be calm and get ready to build the country.

“If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed. Please stay calm. Help those around you to stay calm.”

Bangladesh has achieved its second liberation, says Muhammad Yunus

The interim government’s new leader argues for releasing political prisoners and holding a free election

Note: This article was published as an opinion article in The Economist on August 6, 2024, as a “By Invitation” Feature.

Editor’s update: Since this article was published, Bangladesh’s president appointed Mr Yunus to lead the new government.

Over the past 30 years Bangladesh has become known for many achievements and positive characteristics: declining poverty rates; being the birthplace of microcredit and the Silicon Valley of social entrepreneurship and social business; developing the concept of holding elections under neutral caretaker governments to inspire trust in the competing parties; developing an industry that employs millions of women to export billions of dollars’ worth of garments to clothe the world; and becoming the eighth-most-populous country in the world. Only four languages have more native speakers than our national tongue, Bengali.

Unfortunately, we have also become known for having our democracy erode into autocracy, with sham elections in 2014, 2018 and most notoriously 2024 overshadowing the vibrant ones held in 1991, 1996 and 2008. No Bangladeshi younger than 30 has ever cast a vote in an unrigged national election. Over the past 15 years the government corrupted many of our institutions, most tragically the judiciary and education system, at all levels.

As a result, many of our talented leaders across every field have left for other countries. Those who remained faced the choice between pledging their support to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, or being persecuted. I chose the second option, and as of last week I had 190 court cases pending against me. One criminal case I am facing has a maximum sentence of life in prison. I was charged with forgery, embezzlement and money-laundering.

I have spent more time in courtrooms and preparing my legal defence than on the things that I love, such as designing social businesses that use market-based approaches to solve urgent social and environmental problems. I am hardly alone in facing this harassment; just ask the award-winning photojournalist Shahidul Alam, and many others.

Over the past month Bangladesh earned its independence from this autocracy through a student-led movement. Although it originated in opposition to civil-service quotas, it quickly galvanised the nation to rally around one demand: the resignation of Sheikh Hasina’s government. On August 5th the protesters’ demand was met when the prime minister fled the country. Like virtually all of my fellow citizens, I was overjoyed, even as I mourned the loss of more than 300 lives to state-sponsored violence against peaceful protesters and bystanders. We must commit ourselves to ensuring that those lives weren’t given in vain, but instead usher in a golden era of democracy, prosperity and unity for Bangladesh.

The next step will be to form an interim government that should release all political prisoners and ensure a free and fair election is held within a few months. I am willing to help support this process, and I hope other people will join me. We urgently need new politicians, and new leaders to step forward. Above all, we need young people who are not obsessed with settling scores, as too many of our previous governments were, but are instead intent on becoming a new generation of leaders focused on the future of our great nation. The student leaders who were at the forefront of our second liberation—after the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971—should continue to provide leadership in all respects.

I will wish them well and will continue to support them enthusiastically. I’ll try to encourage them to work towards creating a world of three zeros: zero net carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration and zero unemployment.

I am grateful to the people, institutions and nations that supported the democratic aspirations of the Bangladeshi people during the dark years under Sheikh Hasina. Human-rights organisations such as Amnesty International and the Clooney Foundation for Justice have been especially helpful. Citizens around the world have made their voices heard in advocating justice, democracy and freedom of expression for our people. Members of the Bangladeshi diaspora, especially students and other young people, have worked tirelessly from abroad to bring justice and liberation to their native land. I hope some of them will return to help revitalise our democracy and build our economy.

Although some countries, such as India, backed the ousted prime minister and earned the enmity of the Bangladeshi people as a result, there will be many opportunities to heal these kinds of rifts and to resume bilateral alliances and close friendships soon. In fact, I hope that our liberation can revive the suspended South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation and make it a powerful force for integration in our region and beyond.

For too long, Bangladesh’s politics have been backward-looking. Starting today, let us focus on building a future together that springs from the second liberation that occurred on August 5th. A new generation of young leaders should emerge from among those who led us to this important new victory. Their energy and vision for the nation can help sanctify the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for this new opportunity—an opportunity that we must not squander. 

■Muhammad Yunus is a Nobel prizewinning economist and microfinance pioneer.

The Prime Minister has resigned, and an interim government is being formed. All of us associated with the Protect Yunus Campaign are grateful to everyone who worked for this positive and necessary outcome.

The martyrs who gave their lives did not do so in vain. Much work remains to be done. We are sure that Bangladeshis will channel the idealism and determination they demonstrated today to do what needs to be done.

Joy Bangla. Victory to Bangladesh!