Pakistan on Wednesday expressed “solidarity” with the people of Bangladesh and “sincerely” hoped for a “peaceful and swift return to normalcy” after the violent protests that saw the end of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s rule earlier this week.
“We are confident that the resilient spirit and unity of the Bangladeshi people will lead them towards a harmonious future,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Office, as Bangladesh proceeds toward an interim government under the under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, as demanded by student protest leaders.
Wajed’s 15 years of uninterrupted rule ended after protests broke out across Bangladesh last month over the allocation of public sector job quotas for families of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence. Initially peaceful, the protests turned violent when law enforcers tried to forcibly disperse them. Over the past three weeks, over 400 people have died amidst the unrest, with roughly 100 of these casualties occurring on Monday alone.
As the student protesters vowed to continue their demonstrations until Hasina was ousted, the country’s military directed her to step down. Bangladesh Army chief Gen. Wakeruz Zaman subsequently announced the military would form an interim government and urged the public to return to normalcy. Hasina fled to India ahead of Gen. Zaman’s announcement and is reportedly currently staying at a safe house near New Delhi.
While initially the military had indicated the interim government would comprise all opposition parties, the student protesters demanded it be led by Yunus, warning they would continue their demonstrations otherwise.