DHAKA (AFP) – Bangladesh’s interim leader yesterday marked the one year anniversary since the overthrow of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina by calling for people to seize the “opportunity” of reform.

But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old who is leading the caretaker government as its chief adviser until elections are held, also warned against those he said sought to roll back gains made. “Today marks an unforgettable chapter in the history of Bangladesh,” Yunus said, marking a day he said had led to “liberating our beloved nation from the grip of long-standing fascist rule”.

Yunus addressed outside Parliament alongside leaders of key political parties.

The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, ending her 15-year rule.

The anniversary is a public holiday, and apart from scattered political rallies, the streets of the capital Dhaka were quiet.

Ordinary Bangladeshis took the opportunity to relax while others continued the daily grind of work.

“The working class people sacrificed their lives in large numbers and then returned to their regular jobs,” said Rafiqul Islam Helal, 40, running a roadside tea stall.

“Politics doesn’t help us pay the bills, so we didn’t take part in any programmes.”

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin