Bangladesh interim government is ‘no secular’ : Taslima Nasreen

Dhaka : Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen on Thursday claimed that the interim government of the country is ‘no secular.’

Taslima Nasreen' s controversial statement came as the Bangladesh interim started their oath taking ceremony by reciting the Quran.

“Interim govt of Bangladesh is no secular. They started their oath ceremony by reciting the quran,” she wrote in a post on X.

Bangladesh’s Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of the interim government, days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee amid violent protests across the country.

Yunus has been a longtime opponent of Hasina, who had called him a “bloodsucker” allegedly for using force to extract loan repayments from rural poor people, mainly women. 

The founder of Grameen Bank also termed Hasina’s escape as “second independence” for Bangladesh.

The 84-year-old economist was sworn in as the chief advisor in a ceremony attended by political leaders, civil society leaders, generals and diplomats at the presidential palace in Dhaka.

“I will uphold, support and protect the constitution,” Yunus said as he was administered the oath by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, adding that he will perform his duties “sincerely”.

A 16-member council of advisers, not ministers, also took oath as a part of the Muhammad Yunus led interim government in Dhaka on Thursday.

The council also included Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, top leaders of the Students Against Discrimination group, which led the weeks-long protests that ousted Hasina.

The newly formed interim government will now lead the crisis-stricken Bangladesh for a certain period with the aim of restoring peace and also prepare for the new elections.

The country has been reeling under violent protests over a quota system reserving 30 per cent of government jobs for families of Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence veterans.

Over 400 people have altogether been killed in the violent protests that begun on June.