As Bangladesh remains embroiled in widespread protest over the controversial 'Muktijoddha Quota' leading to death of hundreds in clashes between authorities and mobs for and against the scheme, a few prominent names have come to the forefront to take charge of the country following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
As per several peculations, the possible Army-dominated interim government is likely to choose between former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to spearhead the nation amid this ongoing turmoil.
However, the other name is of the prominent student leader Nahid Islam. Furthermore, Tariq Rahman, the exiled Chairperson of Mrs Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party is reportedly also in the fray.
The key names came to the forefront following PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation followed by quitting Dhaka Monday evening after weeks of violent protests over a government jobs quota.
Ex- Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia
The 78-year-old veteran politician Khaleda Zia became Bangladesh's first woman Prime Minister in 1991 followed by a second tern in 1996 which lasted for a mere 12 days as the elections that year were boycotted and announced unfair by the major opposition parties, including Sheikh Hasina's Awami League. Zia returned to power five years later.
In connection with serious corruption charges, Zia was arrested in 2007 and was convicted and jailed in 2018. However, owing to multiple health concerns, she has spent most of the time since in a hospital.
Nobel Prize Winner Mohammed Yunus
Widely considered as the protesting students' pick, Muhammad Yunus is a renowned economist who pursued his PhD from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in the United States. Following the completion of his PhD, Mr Yunus taught there briefly. Later, he returned to Bangladesh to head the Economics department at Chittagong University.
A massive charge of corruption and embezzlement of Rs 219.4 crore was pressed against him by the by the workers' welfare fund of his telecom company, Grameen Telecom in June. However, he has denied wrongdoing and claimed the charges are politically motivated. In January, he was also sentenced to six months in prison for labour law violations but secured bail.
Prominent student leader Nahid Islam
Besides, Khaleda Zia and Muhammed Yusuf, the other key name is of prominent student leader Nahid Islam. Islam is currently pursuing Sociology and has also served as a National Coordinator for the 'Students Against Discrimination' Movement, which demanded reforms to the quota system for government jobs.
Nahid has also been known to be vocal against Sheikh Hasina's party while terming the party members as "terrorists" in public.
Recently, the student leader was abducted by at least 25 men in plain clothes from a house in Sabujbagh amid the ongoing widespread protest during which he was reportedly blindfolded, handcuffed and tortured. Two days later, he was found unconscious and battered under a bridge in Purbachal.
