Student leaders rewarded with key ministries in Bangladesh interim government

Dhaka, Aug 9 (IANS) Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the anti-quota protests that eventually led to the resignation of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, was on Friday given a key role in the newly-formed interim government in the country.

Nahid will take care of the telecommunications, information technology and posts ministry in the government being led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Asif Mahmud, another key figure in the 'students against discrimination' movement, will look after the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the government announced on Friday.

An interim government in Bangladesh was sworn in on Thursday night, with Yunus serving as its Chief Advisor.

Yunus has so far kept several key ministries with himself, including defence, education, railways, agriculture, commerce, etc.

A student activist, Nahid also emerged as a key figure in the formation of the interim government in the country.

He not only held several rounds of discussions with Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman after Hasina's departure from Dhaka but also played a major role in convincing Yunus to join the interim set up.

He had assured that the interim national government will have fair representation from the student community and members of the civil society.

As Yunus arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon, he was welcomed at the airport by Army Chief Zaman and student leaders, including Nahid Islam.

The interim government comprises 17 members, who come from varied backgrounds ranging from human rights activists to former central bank governor and an ex-election commissioner.