Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said the youth of Bangladesh ignited the world's first Gen-Z revolution, hailing their contributions to the ouster of the autocratic Awami League government that had the country in a stranglehold for 15 years.
"One year ago this month, thousands of Bangladesh's bravest and most determined students, backed by countless others from all segments of our society, ended a dark chapter in our nation's history. Through peaceful protests, brutally repressed until the very end, they forced an autocrat to flee the country on August 5," he wrote in an opinion piece for the Deseret News.
"What began as a seemingly simple demand — to ensure fairness in allocating public sector jobs — ignited the world's first Generation Z revolution. It has become a model for how young people can step forward to confront humanity's greatest challenges: war, climate change, poverty, unemployment and inequality.
"We are fortunate they refused to wait their turn. With civilisation veering off course in so many ways, they understood that the moment for action is now."
He also reflected how he was initially reluctant to take up the responsibility of leading the nation through the turmoil that followed the political changeover.
"In the power vacuum that followed, student leaders urged me to lead an interim government tasked with stabilising the nation and charting a path to democratic renewal. I initially declined. But when they insisted, I reflected on the lives and limbs they and so many other young people had sacrificed. I could not walk away.
"On August 8, 2024 I was sworn in alongside a cabinet of policy specialists and civil society leaders."
However, he was in for a rude awakening, only uncovering the dysfunctional state of the country after taking over.
"When I took office as the head of the interim government, I was stunned by the scale of dysfunction. Police had abandoned their posts. Foreign reserves were dwindling. The economy was in ruins. Democracy had collapsed. Thousands languished in state-run torture chambers. Civil servants denied promotions for insufficient demonstrations of loyalty to the party in power demanded justice.
Over time, things have gradually moved in a positive direction, he said.
"Bit by bit, we've begun to rebuild. The political parties that resisted the dictatorship, alongside newly formed ones, have offered ideas, energy and action. The armed forces, which showed admirable restraint on August 5 in the face of calls to slaughter the protesters, continue to act professionally and have helped restore law and order."
Yunus reiterated that he had no intention to pursue a career in politics after the upcoming national election scheduled for February, a date the chief adviser intends to stick to.
"I have made it clear: national elections will take place next February. I will not serve in any elected or appointed role in the government that follows.
"Our administration's core mission is to deliver a free, fair and peaceful election, one where political parties can make their case to the voters. Enabling all eligible citizens to cast their vote, including those living abroad, remains a monumental task. But we are committed to completing it."
He also spoke of the sweeping set of reforms that the interim government plans to carry out, adding, "Perhaps the most critical is a constitutional amendment to establish strong checks and balances so that Bangladesh never again slips into autocracy."
Another of the interim government's top priorities is to ensure that the families of those murdered under the prior regime and the thousands who were injured receive compensation.
"We have also made significant progress in recovering money looted by the former government and its cronies. Transparency International Bangladesh estimates the regime siphoned off $10 billion to $15 billion per year for 15 years. That is money worth fighting for; the stakes are immense."
Furthermore, Yunus said the government had also reset its foreign policy to strengthen positive relations with neighbours and global partners.
"As the world's eighth most populous country, Bangladesh can and must be a lynchpin for regional stability and prosperity in South and Southeast Asia. We are especially grateful for the support of the Trump Administration and Secretary Rubio, with whom I recently had a productive and friendly conversation focused on trade and investment that can benefit both our nations.
"The UK, Japan, the European Union, the World Bank Group and the United Nations have also stepped forward to support us. We are not in this alone."
Finally, he thanked the Bangladeshis around the world.
"I commend and thank Bangladesh's youth, including those in our global diaspora, for showing how frustration with inherited problems can be transformed into a blueprint for renewal. Their courage reminds us that meaningful change demands effort and sacrifice.
"Their example also inspires hope that more members of Gen Z — as well as their grandparents and parents in Gen X and millennials and the young digital natives of Gen Alpha — will build what I call a World of Three Zeroes: zero unemployment, zero poverty and zero net carbon emissions.
"If Bangladesh is finally to become a country where all of its people can live in security and dignity, it will be due to the determination, imagination and courage of millions of Bangladeshis over the coming months and years."
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