A society that intends to use microfinance as an effective tool for poverty eradication must create a socio-legal framework that addresses the peculiar circumstances in which beneficiaries operate, Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus said. Yunus was speaking at an event organised on the occasion of his being conferred the 'Person of The Year' award instituted this year by the media group, Sakaal.
Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh's new prime minister following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's landslide victory in the national elections. The swearing-in ceremony, administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, took place at the south plaza of the parliament building in Dhaka on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, evening.
T20WC Boycott: Broadcasters may move court against PCB
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Following the new government's assumption of power, the Bangladesh Army has undergone a significant reshuffle, including the appointment of a new Chief of General Staff and changes in key strategic commands.
'Many senior Bangladeshis feel Bangladesh will fall into anarchy if the Jamaat becomes an important part of a future government or has disproportionate influence in the government.'
Bangladesh needed to be clearly told that New Delhi would respond firmly if such rhetoric continued.
Tarique Rahman is Bangladesh's first male prime minister in more than three decades, ending an era of female leadership that began in 1991.
Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched a scathing attack on the interim administration, accusing Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of running a "fascist regime" that persecutes minorities and allows terrorists to operate freely. Hasina, who is currently in India, made the remarks in a virtual address to overseas Awami League supporters, vowing to bring Yunus and his allies to justice for alleged atrocities. Her comments come ahead of a visit by India's Foreign Secretary to Dhaka, where he is expected to raise concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will hold general elections on February 12, 2026, the first since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government. A referendum on reform proposals will be held simultaneously.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to 2006 Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus as head of the country's interim government at the Bangabhaban in Dhaka.
The two accused had been on the run for more than two years and also had non-bailable warrants issued against them by the NIA special court, Mumbai.
With these four, the strength of the members -- all equivalent to ministers -- in the interim government's advisory council rose to 21.
The chief adviser alleged elections held under Hasina's regime were "rigged blatantly and generations of young people grew up without exercising their voting rights."
Muhammad Yunus on Thursday promised to deliver a government which assures safety to its citizens, as the Nobel laureate returned to the protest-torn Bangladesh from Paris to take oath as the head of the interim government following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh descended into chaos on Monday as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina surreptitiously resigned and fled the country in a military aircraft while the Army stepped in to fill the power vacuum.
The other members of the interim government will be finalised after consultations with various political parties, the press secretary added.
Life has come full circle for Nobel laureate Professor Mohammad Yunus, who faced persecution during Sheikh Hasina's regime for embezzlement, is now all set to head of the interim government in Bangladesh after she resigned and fled the country.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Yunus, 84, was administered the oath of office by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at a ceremony at the presidential palace 'Bangabhaban'.
Nobel laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus, the designated head of Bangladesh's interim government, on Wednesday fervently appealed everybody 'to stay calm' and 'refrain from all kinds of violence' as the country witnessed a major reshuffle in the security establishment after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Mohammed Yunus is no longer known as the pioneer of micro finance or even a Noble Laureate. He prefers to be now known as a promoter and founder of 'social business.' This is a concept that Prof Yunus believes will help him fulfill his mission -- to remove poverty in a way that its traces are only found in museums.
The Awami League leaders were charged with committing crimes against humanity over the deaths of hundreds of people during last year's anti-government protests by a student platform. The protests resulted in the ouster of Hasina's 16-year-long regime on August 5.
From bhikshus of Ashokan 3rd century BC and medieval Sufis to Oxfam, Omidyar and Soros now, non-State actors have any real power only when they work in conjunction with a real State, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
UN chief Antonio Guterres, US President Donald Trump, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were among scores of world leaders who offered condolences to the people of India in wake of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Modi lived up to his declaration that his visit was purely meant to strengthen India's relationship with the US, but there may be situations in which our silence on some issues will haunt us in the future, cautions Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
'My father died in the liberation struggle. Bangladesh is our Motherland. This is home,' says Monindra Kumar Nath, a Hindu who has lived his 74 years in Dhaka.
Bangladesh's interim government on Wednesday said it is 'consulting all stakeholders' to decide the fate of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, as authorities beefed up security around his residence in the wake of protests demanding his removal over comments that raised questions on prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
The 33-year-old accused, Nossam Mohamed Yunus, was wanted for his alleged involvement in the Nizamabad terror conspiracy case, a spokesperson of the federal agency said
Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh will take oath on Thursday, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said.
'India is using Hasina to warn the Yunus government because there is a ground support for the Awami League in Bangladesh.'
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next week for a foreign secretary-level meeting, amidst ongoing tensions between the two countries. The visit comes after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took power in Bangladesh, following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister. The meeting will focus on a range of bilateral issues, including the potential extradition of Hasina and visa-related matters. Tensions between the two nations escalated further with the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, leading to concerns from India regarding attacks on minorities in the country.
New Delhi -- which has had a disastrous neighbourhood policy that has alienated almost all the States with which it has a land or sea border -- seemed to be unwilling over the past years to even consider that its unquestioning support of Sheikh Hasina was painting it into a corner, points out Mihir S Sharma.
Bangladesh plunged into chaos after Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and fled the country in the wake of mounting protests on August 5.
Moreover, the process to release those arrested between July 1 to August has started, and many have already been released, it added.
Sheikh Hasina, who quit as prime minister and fled Bangladesh, will be back in the country as soon as democracy is restored, his son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said on Thursday and blamed Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, for fuelling the ongoing unrest in the country.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday on a day-long visit to hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart, amid strained bilateral ties since August following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Biden administration's failure in stopping two major wars and several minor ones was seen as a major disaster by many Americans and the world at large, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The encampment of protestors started out in the square at the front of the towering St Paul's cathedral, one of London's best loved landmarks.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin said he did not have any documentary evidence of Hasina resigning as prime minister before she fled the country on August 5 amidst student-led mass protests.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances