YUNUS-LED GOVT INTENSIFIES FOCUS ON REFORMING STATE INSTITUTIONS

Since taking over the interim government, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and his advisers have focused on two major tasks: tackling the post-Hasina law and order situation and the reforms in the key institutions.

- Farid Hossain

Despite intensified efforts the law and order is still far from satisfactory. The authorities struggled to bring the RMG workers’ unrest in Ashulia and Gazipur. Roadblocks staged by workers to press home more than a dozen demands, including clearance of wages backlogs, had caused enough of a headache for the interim government. Though the situation seems to have come under control it is still unclear how long the truce will last. Amid the low morale of a highly traumatized police force, Prof Yunus had to arm the army commanders with the magistracy power that would enable them to arrest troublemakers on the spot without waiting for a magistrate to arrive and make a move. That magistracy power seems to have little impact on the situation. The army-led joint forces preferred persuasion in their approach to resolve any trouble.

Critics, however, feel the interim government should have gone hard on the troublemakers.