It has been a little over a month since Sheikh Hasina’s government fell and she fled to India. Tasked with the responsibility of rebuilding the nation after 15 years of misrule, Dr Muhammad Yunus continues to show what a difference a month can make when there are genuine efforts at nation-building.
Arguably the most important quality Yunus has exhibited since taking on the responsibility of leading the interim government is his willingness to both listen to and speak to the people of Bangladesh. Bangladesh had long been calling for a leader who was willing to listen to and speak to the people, and Yunus has been doing precisely that.
Of course, it is not simply the relatability that has been displayed but also the efforts made by the interim government that must be commended. It is easy to forget the enormity of the mess Yunus and the interim government are tasked with fixing - just about every major sector of the nation was broken beyond repair, and the swiftness and decisiveness with which the interim government is acting in identifying and bringing about the reforms to these critical sectors must be recognized.
Indeed, with his recent address identifying and forming commissions for the six major areas for reform - Electoral System Reform Commission, Police Administration Reform Commission, Judicial Reform Commission, Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, Public Administration Reform Commission, and Constitutional Reform Commission - it is clear to see that the interim government continues to talk through actions instead of merely offering hollow words as the previous administration did.
Moving forward, we hope that the people continue to have patience and allow the interim government to implement their vision of a better Bangladesh - one that becomes the democracy it always had the potential to become - and that the interim government led by Dr Yunus continues to operate by understanding the pulse of the people.