Dhaka/Bangladesh:- Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh was brought down as part of a conspiracy. Student organisations wanted Muhammad Yunus to lead the Bangladesh government. AFP journalist Kadruddin Shishir helped arrange a meeting between the students and Yunus. This claim was made by Shafiqul Alam, former press secretary to Muhammad Yunus, who has now become an adviser in the interim government.
Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on August 5, 2024. Two days before that, a discussion had taken place between Yunus and the students, during which a plan to topple the government was prepared.
Security agencies had no information about these discussions
According to Shafiqul Alam, student leaders needed a trusted intermediary to reach Yunus. Kadruddin Shishir helped establish contact between the two sides. Alam claimed that security agencies had absolutely no knowledge of these discussions. Had the authorities found out, Shishir and the entire AFP team could have been put at risk.
Alam did not provide complete details of these discussions. It remains unclear whether Shishir's role was limited to facilitating the initial contact or whether he also participated in subsequent discussions.
Nahid Islam, a prominent leader of the student movement, had suggested that Yunus should become the chief adviser of the interim government. Subsequently, an interim government was formed under Yunus's leadership.
How did the movement against the Hasina government begin?
In 2024, a student-led movement emerged in Bangladesh opposing the 'quota system' for government jobs. At that time, up to 30% of government job positions were reserved for the families of those who had participated in the 1971 War of Independence.
The students argued that this system reduced the opportunities available to ordinary young people to secure government jobs. The movement, which began with this demand, gradually turned into a protest against the government. Government actions resulted in a large number of deaths. According to estimates by the United Nations, around 1,400 people died during July and August 2024.
