Bangladesh's Turbulent Turnover: A Nation in Transition

Around 1,500 deaths occurred during protests ousting Bangladesh's PM Sheikh Hasina, with up to 3,500 possibly abducted during her rule. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, aims to prosecute perpetrators and plans electoral reforms for Bangladesh’s transition amidst calls for democratic elections.

In a year marked by turmoil, approximately 1,500 individuals lost their lives in protests that led to the ousting of Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, an esteemed economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has provided these staggering figures.

Yunus presented a grim picture of the preceding 15 years, asserting that as many as 3,500 citizens could have been forcibly disappeared. These numbers exceed prior official tallies of about 1,000 deaths from the student-led demonstrations against public sector job quotas, which rapidly escalated into violent clashes.

Vowing to ensure justice, Yunus pledged to hold those accountable for the violence and abductions during Hasina's tenure. Meanwhile, political pressure intensifies, urging the interim government for a detailed road map ahead of national elections amid ongoing electoral reforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)