Muhammad Yunus to lead interim government amid chaos in Bangladesh
By EasternEyeAug 07, 2024
BANGLADESH's Nobel-winning microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus will lead an interim government after mass protests forced longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee, the presidency announced Wednesday.
The decision came after student leaders called on the 84-year-old Yunus to lead, during a meeting with president Mohammed Shahabuddin, military heads, and student leaders.
"(They) decided to form an interim government with Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus as its chief," Shahabuddin's office said in a statement. "The president has asked the people to help ride out the crisis. Quick formation of an interim government is necessary to overcome the crisis." Yunus will hold the title of chief advisor, according to Haid Islam, a leader of Students Against Discrimination. Shahabuddin agreed that the interim government "will be formed within the shortest time" possible, describing the meeting as "fruitful."
Yunus, who is currently in Europe, expressed his willingness to lead the interim government. "If action is needed in Bangladesh, for my country and for the courage of my people, then I will take it," he said in a statement. He also wrote in The Economist about ensuring a free and fair election within months and called for 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," Yunus wrote.
Hasina, who had been in power since 2009, resigned on Monday after mass protests, which began over government job quotas but turned into an anti-Hasina movement. Accused of rigging January elections and human rights abuses, Hasina deployed security forces against protesters, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The military turned against her, forcing her to flee to India on a helicopter. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said on Sunday it was "time to stop the violence." The military has since acceded to various demands from the student leaders, aside from Yunus's appointment.
The president dissolved parliament on Tuesday, another demand of the student leaders and the major opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP). The head of the police force, blamed for leading Hasina's crackdown, was sacked on Tuesday. Ex-prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, 78, was also released from years of house arrest. The military reshuffled several generals, demoting some seen as close to Hasina, and sacking Ziaul Ahsan, a commander of the Rapid Action Battalion paramilitary force.
Since Hasina's departure, students have managed traffic in her absence. A top police official, AKM Shahidur Rahman, called on police to resume duties gradually. "The police are friends of the people and work for the public. We cannot imagine a society without the police. Therefore, I request our police members once again to ignore rumours and return to their duties in a phased manner, ensuring that security arrangements are properly in place," Rahman, now appointed as the director general of RAB, said. Reports of attacks on police stations and facilities have emerged, leading to casualties.
Businesses demanded the restoration of law and order amid arson attacks on factories. Six top officials of Bangladesh Bank resigned following unrest, with over a hundred officials storming the bank governor's office. The Daily Star reported that more than 100 officials of Bangladesh Bank forced several deputy governors to leave the office, accusing them of helping bank looters. Media reports indicate increased violence against minorities, with attacks on properties owned by Hindu communities and incidents like the vandalism of musician Rahul Ananda's residence.
Ananda's residence was vandalised on Monday, prompting him and his family to take shelter at a secret location. Saiful Islam Jarnal, one of Joler Gaan's founding members, described the attack: "The mob, after breaking the main gate, started ravaging the house, taking whatever they could find, from furniture to valuables, and then torched the whole house along with Rahul Ananda's over 3,000 musical instruments, which he designed and made over the years."
Millions of Bangladeshis flooded the streets to celebrate Hasina's departure, with crowds storming and looting her official residence. "We have been freed from a dictatorship," said Sazid Ahnaf, 21, comparing the events to the independence war that split the nation from Pakistan more than five decades ago. However, police said mobs launched revenge attacks on Hasina's allies and officers, and freed more than 500 inmates from a prison.
Monday was the deadliest day since protests began in early July, and 10 more people were killed Tuesday, taking the death toll to at least 469, according to an AFP tally based on police, government officials, and hospital doctors. Protesters broke into parliament and torched TV stations, and smashed statues of Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's independence hero. Neighboring India and China, both key regional allies of Bangladesh, have called for calm.
Protesters calling for the closure of the The Bell Hotel, believed to be housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping, on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
High Court blocks asylum seekers from being housed in Essex hotel
Nigel Farage calls for peaceful protests outside “migrant hotels”
Government considering appeal against injunction ruling
Debate grows over housing asylum seekers in hotels across Britain
NIGEL FARAGE has called for protests after a court ruling blocked the use of an Essex hotel to house asylum seekers.
On Tuesday, the High Court in London granted a temporary injunction stopping asylum seekers from being placed in the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 32 km northeast of London. The case, based on a planning issue, will be heard in full later this year.
Protests in Essex
The Bell Hotel has seen regular demonstrations since a resident was charged with sexual assault, which he denies. Police have deployed in large numbers to separate anti-immigration and pro-immigration groups during the protests.
The injunction has prompted other councils to seek legal advice on whether they can also act to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas.
Farage statement
Farage, leader of the Reform Party, said all 12 local authorities under his party’s control would act.
"Let's hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
"No doubt we will be attacked as 'far Right' provocateurs for daring to suggest that people follow the lead of Epping’s parents and residents by protesting peacefully."
Government response
Britain houses about 30,000 asylum seekers in more than 200 hotels while they await decisions on their claims. The government has said it plans to close them all by 2029.
The Home Office told the court that the injunction would have a "substantial impact" on its legal duty to provide accommodation. Security minister Dan Jarvis said the government was considering whether to appeal.
"The big challenge remains, which is, we need to process asylum claims much more speedily and much more effectively than was the case previously," Jarvis told BBC TV.
Labour revolt
Keir Starmer is facing pressure from Labour-run councils after a High Court ruling in Epping blocked the use of a hotel for asylum seekers.
Local authorities, including Wirral and Tamworth, have indicated they will challenge the Home Office over hotels being used without consultation or planning approval, The Telegraph reported.
Several other councils signalled they are preparing similar legal action.
Wider debate
Critics argue that housing asylum seekers in hotels puts communities at risk and point to crimes in Epping and elsewhere involving some migrants. Others highlight the contrast between hotel accommodation and the difficulties many in Britain face with rising costs and a lack of affordable housing.
Pro-migrant groups say far-right organisations and politicians are exploiting tensions for political purposes.
Across Europe, governments have faced similar disputes. In Britain last year, hotels with migrants were attacked during unrest linked to misinformation about a crime in Southport.
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India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi during their meeting in New Delhi, India August 19, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
INDIA and China agreed to resume direct flights and step up trade and investment flows as the neighbours rebuild ties damaged by a 2020 border clash.
The Asian giants are cautiously strengthening ties against the backdrop of US president Donald Trump's unpredictable foreign policy, staging a series of high-level bilateral visits.
Direct flights have been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. No date was given for their resumption.
The latest statements came at the end of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security (NSA) Advisor Ajit Doval to resolve their decades old border dispute.
The border talks covered issues related to pulling back troops both countries have amassed on their Himalayan border, delimitation of borders and boundary affairs, the Indian ministry said.
Both countries have agreed to set up a working group to consult and coordinate on border affairs to advance demarcation negotiations, a Chinese foreign ministry statement released on Wednesday (20) showed.
It said the mechanism will extend talks to cover the eastern and middle sections of the border. Meanwhile another round of talks on the western section will be held as soon as possible, the ministry said.
Beijing also said both countries agreed to meet again in China in 2026.
"Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity," prime minister Narendra Modi posted on X after meeting Wang.
Modi is scheduled to travel to China at the end of this month to take part in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - his first visit to the country in more than seven years.
A readout from the Chinese foreign ministry said Wang told Doval that "the stable and healthy development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries' people".
The two sides "should enhance mutual trust through dialogues and expand cooperation," Wang said, and should aim for consensus in areas such as border control and demarcation negotiations.
India said foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had underlined in his talks with Wang India's concerns with regard to the mega dam China is building on the Yarlung Zangbo river in Tibet.
Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra as it flows into India and Bangladesh, a lifeline for millions.
The dam would have implications for lower riparian states and the need for "utmost transparency" was strongly underlined, New Delhi said.
To that, China agreed to share with India emergency hydrological information on relevant rivers on humanitarian principles, China's foreign ministry said.
Both sides agreed to engage an expert-level mechanism on cross-border rivers, and maintain communication to renew flood reporting arrangements, the ministry said.
Chinese officials had previously said hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies, but India and Bangladesh have nevertheless raised concerns.
Earlier on Tuesday (19), an Indian source said Wang had assured Jaishankar that Beijing was addressing three key Indian concerns - the need for fertilisers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines.
The Indian foreign and mines ministries and China's commerce ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Reuters)
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Passengers being rescued after a Monorail train came to a halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations due to apparent power failure during rainfall, in Mumbai, on Aug. 19, 2025. (PTI Photo)
INTERMITTENT showers continued overnight in Mumbai, but the intensity reduced on Wednesday (20) morning, offering much-needed relief after heavy rains battered the city the previous day.
Local train services on the Central Railway’s Harbour Line resumed early morning on Wednesday after a 15-hour disruption, easing the commute for thousands. Schools and colleges also reopened following a rain-enforced closure.
All modes of public transport, including suburban rail services, returned to normal operation on Wednesday morning, officials confirmed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Mumbai, warning of heavy rain on Wednesday, but forecasted a reduction in intensity from Thursday (21) onwards.
According to IMD data, Mumbai’s Santacruz observatory, representing the western suburbs, recorded 209 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30am on Wednesday. The Colaba observatory in south Mumbai registered 107.4 mm during the same period.
Other areas in the city also experienced intense showers: Vikhroli recorded 229.5mm, Mumbai airport 208 mm, Byculla 193.5mm, Juhu 150mm, and Bandra 137.5mm between Tuesday (19) and Wednesday morning.
Civic officials reported that the city received an average rainfall of over 100mm in the 22-hour period ending at 6am on Wednesday. The island city saw an average of 131.51mm, the eastern suburbs 159.66mm, and the western suburbs 150.60mm.
In a dramatic incident on Tuesday evening, 782 passengers were rescued after two overcrowded Monorail trains became stranded on elevated tracks due to the downpour. Some panic-stricken commuters reportedly considered jumping off the trains, but were eventually rescued safely.
Some panic-stricken commuters reportedly considered jumping off the trains, but were eventually rescued safely (PTI photo)
As a precaution, the fire brigade had laid out safety sheets on the ground in case of any attempted jumps, although no such incident occurred. Rescue teams broke open windows and forced doors open to evacuate passengers, an official involved in the operation said.
Train services on the Central Railway’s main line — between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai and Thane — were restored on Tuesday evening after being suspended for eight hours due to waterlogging.
A Central Railway spokesperson confirmed that suburban services on all lines — main, harbour, and trans-harbour — were now fully operational.
In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that train services on the central, western, and harbour lines, along with Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, were running smoothly.
The BMC assured that its entire disaster response machinery was deployed on the ground and working round the clock to monitor the situation and respond promptly to any emergencies.
“All departments are on alert and prepared to take necessary measures if required,” the civic body said.
The BMC also urged citizens not to fall for rumours and advised them to contact the municipal emergency control room for verified information or assistance. The helpline number is 1916.
(PTI)
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The bank holiday weekend is approaching for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland set for mostly dry conditions at the start of the long weekend
Temperatures climbing back into the low to mid-20s, though cooler along North Sea coasts
Bank holiday Monday outlook remains uncertain, with risk of rain in southern and western areas
Remnants of Hurricane Erin could influence unsettled weather after the weekend
A mixed outlook for the long weekend
The bank holiday weekend is approaching for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but the weather forecast carries a degree of uncertainty. While high pressure looks likely to dominate at first, unsettled conditions could follow, depending on the path of Hurricane Erin currently tracking through the Atlantic.
Saturday and Sunday: mostly settled
High pressure is expected to bring largely dry weather across much of the UK at the start of the long weekend. There should be some sunshine, with only isolated showers possible. After a cooler spell, temperatures will recover, climbing into the low to mid-20s Celsius. However, coastal areas along the North Sea are likely to stay cooler, with more cloud cover and a fresh onshore breeze.
Bank Holiday Monday: uncertainty grows
The forecast for Monday is less clear-cut. Some computer models indicate a continuation of largely settled conditions, while others suggest rain may push into southern and western regions. Forecasters emphasise that details will only become clearer nearer the time.
Influence of Hurricane Erin
Attention is also on Hurricane Erin, currently located east of the Bahamas. While the storm itself will not reach the UK, its remnants could impact the weather patterns in the North Atlantic. This may bring more unsettled conditions after the bank holiday, though the timing and extent remain uncertain.
A season of contrasts
This summer is shaping up to be one of the hottest on record, but the late August outlook highlights the variable nature of UK weather. With the Atlantic hurricane season now active, forecasts often carry greater uncertainty at this time of year.
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Protesters hold signs as they attend an anti-immigration demonstration, in Epping, Britain, August 8, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
A BRITISH district council on Tuesday (19) won its bid to have asylum seekers temporarily removed from a hotel that has become the focal point for protests after a resident was charged with sexual assault.
Anti-immigration protesters and pro-immigration groups have gathered outside the hotel since an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged in July with sexual assault and other offences. He has denied the charges and is due to stand trial next week.
Judge Stephen Eyre granted the council an interim injunction against the owner of the hotel, ruling that asylum seekers should be removed by September 12. The hotel's owner said it would seek to appeal the ruling.
Eyre also dismissed a last-minute attempt on Tuesday by the Home Office to intervene in the case in support of the hotel owner.
The Home Office's lawyer, Edward Brown, had argued the injunction would have a "substantial impact" on the government's ability to comply with its legal duty to provide accommodation, describing the hotel as "a key part of national asylum accommodation infrastructure."
Border security minister Angela Eagle said in a statement: "We will continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns. Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament (2029)."
Hundreds of people have protested outside the Bell Hotel since two asylum seekers were charged over separate incidents, with 16 people also having been charged in relation to what Essex Police described as criminal disorder in Epping.
Care4Calais, a charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees, said some residents have felt frightened and frustrated after being threatened, chased, and had objects thrown at them since the protests in Epping began.
Local police have been on high alert after nationwide rioting last summer, when racist unrest involving far-right supporters broke out after misinformation that the murderer of three girls in Southport was a radical Islamist migrant.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has pledged to stop thousands of migrants arriving in Britain via small boats, but his government is struggling to do so and faces mounting pressure to show voters he can counter illegal immigration, with support rising for Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party.
Police say there have been at least six protests in Epping since July 17, with officers and vehicles attacked during some of the demonstrations.
Several men appeared in court on Monday (18) charged with violent disorder over the protests.
More than 50,000 people have made the dangerous crossing from northern France in rudimentary vessels since Starmer became leader in July last year.
Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers before the next election, likely in 2029, in a bid to save billions of pounds.