Muhammad Yunus Appointed as Chief Adviser Amid Bangladesh Crisis

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has been named chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned amidst a violent student-led uprising. Yunus, known for his microcredit organization Grameen Bank, was appointed by President Mohammed Shahabuddin and has pledged to lead the interim government and facilitate upcoming elections.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday, following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation amid a violent crackdown on student-led protests. The appointment was made by Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin after consultations with military chiefs and student leaders, according to local media reports.

Yunus, who won the 2006 Nobel Prize for his microcredit initiative Grameen Bank, is expected to return to Dhaka soon from Paris, where he is undergoing a medical procedure. The interim government will pave the way for new elections, as confirmed by President Shahabuddin after he dissolved parliament earlier on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia has been released from house arrest. The violent protests, which killed about 300 people, were driven largely by opposition to public sector job quotas favoring families of veterans. The resignation of Hasina was celebrated by large crowds, marking a significant political shift in Bangladesh.