Bangladesh’s caretaker government in place, calls for balance in relations with major powers

Bangladesh’s caretaker chief minister, Muhammad Yunus, on Friday assigned portfolios to his 16-member council of advisers, a day after the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner was sworn in after weeks of deadly anti-government protests that ousted Sheikh Hasina. Yunus appointed a former top diplomat who stressed the importance of achieving “balance” in Bangladesh’s relations with “great powers.”

Yunus’ first task is to restore stability to Bangladesh after protests over a controversial job quota system in place since June turned into a widespread demand for Hasina’s resignation.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the party led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, said Hasina’s decision to flee to India following the protests against her was solely her decision.