INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A year on from the political uprising that swept the prime minister of Bangladesh into exile, individuals still see government as the enemy,
according to the countrys interim leader, Muhammad Yunus.Rooting out corruption at every level, from village to government, is the only
method for people to think in a brand-new Bangladesh, he says.The Nobel Peace prize winner, who took over after Julys student-led revolt
unseated Sheikh Hasina, informed the Guardian he desires the state to deliver more for citizens who have actually felt the government uses
them little.Pervasive corruption has actually consisted of the siphoning off of money by federal government members and needs for kickbacks
in every deal from getting a passport to looking for a service permit, he says.Somebody is [constantly] waiting to get a massive quantity of
People see government as your irreversible enemy and you have to live your life combating with this opponent
Its an extremely powerful enemy, so you wish to stay away.Our beginning point was a devastated economy ..
Banks released loans, knowing completely well that these were not loans, just giftsMuhammad YunusWhile the protests were prompted by student
anger over a quota system for government jobs that favoured the then ruling Awami League partys allies, there was likewise discontent over
high living expenses and an absence of opportunities for young people.Hasina had actually ended up being progressively authoritarian,
punishing the opposition and liberty of expression, while the breakdown of the banking system has actually been credited to corruption among
the elites.Many hoped the protests in the summertime of 2024 would result in radical changes to a harmful, confrontational political system
controlled by two competitors the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP)
View image in fullscreenProtesters commemorate beside a defaced portrait of previous prime minister Sheikh Hasina after news of her
resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 5 August 2024
Picture: Fatima Tuj Johora/APOur beginning point was a devastated economy, a devastated society
Administration had completely collapsed, says Yunus
We didnt even understand whether we could pay our bills
Massive quantities of funds were just siphoned up as if they didnt belong to anyone just taken
Banks provided loans, knowing complete well that these were not loans, simply gifts [that were not repaid] A series of reform commissions
formed by the interim government made suggestions in January covering elections, corruption and well-being
Yunus is now concentrated on forging an arrangement on these reforms in between the nations political parties, and desires the so-called
July Charter to be ended up before the first anniversary of the protests next month, so that they can focus on implementing them ahead of an
April election.It will be a historical document, to bring all these people together
The suggestions of the commissions are fundamental recommendations, not light things, not just to do a little better, a little of this or
Then our task is to carry out and prepare the country, moving towards a sane, functioning system.Afterwards, we can feel happy that we are
in a circumstance to make a start of the brand-new Bangladesh.Yunus confesses, nevertheless, that arrangement will not be easy.The BNP, now
the nations most powerful celebration and the clear favourite to win an election, has been pushing for an earlier survey date and has
opposed the proposed two-term limitation for prime ministers.skip past newsletter promotionSign as much as Global DispatchGet a different
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We utilize Google reCaptcha to secure our website and the GooglePrivacy Policy andTerms of Serviceapply.after newsletter promotionBut Yunus
says he is encouraged by how the parties have actually engaged with each other so far, in a nation where there was little precedent of
consensus in between opposing politicians.Yunus wishes to change how the state functions and serves the individuals, for instance motivating
nonprofit social services that might deliver on issues such as healthcare, and expanding on the microcredit model he pioneered.The sector is
now dominated by NGOs that provide little loans to individuals residing in hardship to enable them to begin companies
Yunus wants to formalise that system by producing dedicated microfinance banks.He says this would motivate entrepreneurship, as individuals
would not have to count on traditional banks, which frequently refuse to lend to bad people.Microcredit has actually gained a bad track
record, he thinks, in part due to some lenders pressing high rate of interest, however he states the design had actually been exported and
[Individuals believe] its extracting money out of the poor individuals however thats not what it does
It was provided a bad name and then individuals stated, Oh, you have to enhance it
You do not have to improve it there is nothing wrong with microcredit, he says.View image in fullscreenYunus states he does not plan to
remain in federal government after next Aprils election
Photo: Andy Hall/The GuardianYunus has been important of the mainstream banking system, which poorer individuals without properties can
frequently not access but which has also collapsed in the previous year after the non-payment of big loans taken by allies of Hasina,
leading at times to citizens being not able to withdraw their money.Just a year back, Yunus was publicly damned by Hasina, before being all
of a sudden thrust into government
He says he does not plan to remain on in government after the election in April, however until then will concentrate on attempting to
stabilize the lots of political pressures while trying to execute the reform mandate.Before, I was criticised by the Awami League and its
leaders, now everyone criticises me its open game
This is part of life if youre holding this position, individuals will have their viewpoints
You need to go through it and accept it, says Yunus
[In April] we will have an elected government and after that well disappear.
