Dhaka, Aug. 8: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus Thursday arrived in Bangladesh from Dubai to become the chief adviser to the interim government after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from Dhaka in the wake of deadly protests.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus in his first speech after returning to Dhaka hailed students for saving Bangladesh. Bangladesh Nobel laureate Dr Yunus said that Bengalis should protect the freedom of the country that was achieved through historic struggle. 

He termed the attacks on the minorities as part of a conspiracy as some protesters torched down the temples and Hindu residences in the wake of the deadly protests and use of force by the state operators including Police and the military.

Prof Dr Yunus made his speech along with the student body representatives who led the protests after landing at the Shahjalal International Airport Dhaka.

"What I would like to stress first is to save the country from chaos. Save the country from violence so that we can move forward on the path that the students have shown us.

"Bangladesh could be a beautiful country. It has tremendous potential, which has been destroyed. Now we will have to prepare the seedbed, and we have to rise again. You, the youth, will prepare the seedbed. We will look up to them and move forward as per their direction," Prof Yunus said.

Washington thinks that the interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus will play a vital role in establishing long-term peace and political stability in Bangladesh, State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said yesterday.

"And as you heard the secretary say yesterday, any decisions that the interim government makes should respect democratic principles, rule of law, and the will of the Bangladeshi people," he said at a press briefing in Washington.

The interim government is scheduled to take oath this evening, three days after the resignation and fleeing of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina after a mass upsurge calling for equality.

Miller said the US will continue to monitor developments in Bangladesh.

An Emirates flight (EK-582) carrying Yunus landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Dhaka around 2:15pm local time today. Bangladesh Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that new interim government will be sworn in tonight.

The decision of making Prof Yunus the chief adviser came after a meeting was held Tuesday on the formation of the interim government between key organisers of the anti-discriminatory movement and President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The country is in chaos after resignation and fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 in the face of a mass students uprising against her. Her party Awami League government also felt the heat of protesters.

As per Bangldesh’s The Daily Star, between July 16 and today, over 400 people (as far as this newspaper could confirm) have been killed in violent clashes.

On July 23, the government through a circular reformed the quota system as per the demand of the students, but by then nearly 200 died in clashes.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet on August 3, holding her government responsible for the deaths. The government toppled in the space of three days.

Hasina was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, and fifth overall.-Agencies