Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and Chief Advisor to Bangladesh's Interim Government showcased to an American audience the "brains" behind the "meticulously designed" protests that led to Sheikh Hasina's ouster from power.
Introducing the students at the Clinton Global Initiative's annual gathering on Tuesday, September 24, where Yunus was welcomed by former United States of America President Bill Clinton, the Nobel laureate hinted that protests against then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League were planned, reports PTI.
"These are known to be the brains behind the whole revolution. They look like any other young person, you will not recognise them. But when you see them in action, when you hear them speak, you will be shaking. They shook the whole country," said the 84-year-old Nobel laureate while introducing Bangladeshi student leaders.
With particular reference to one Mahfuj Abdullah, a student activist, Yunus referred to him as the "brains behind the whole revolution".
"He denies it repeatedly, he said not me many others. But that's how he is recognised, that he is the brain behind the whole thing," Yunus said.
"It was a meticulously designed thing. It just did not suddenly come. Even the leadership did not know (him) so they could not catch him," Yunus said about the protests in Bangladesh that left more than 600 persons dead.
Adding that the students are creating a “new version of Bangladesh”, Yunus said that they “courageously stood against bullets” from the previous government, headed by Sheikh Hasina.
Suddenly all the young people of Bangladesh got together and said, ‘Enough is Enough'. We are not going to take it anymore. And they didn't,” Yunus said, adding that everyone in the country supported the "new Bangladesh".
The economist was appointed as the country's “Chief Advisor” in August after the bloody student-led movement led to the resignation of Hasina and her escape to India.
