Bangladesh Crisis: Fresh Elections 'In A Few Months'; Nobel Laureate Yunus Urges People To 'Get Ready To Build The Country'

Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Laureate who will lead a caretaker government in Bangladesh has called for calm and urged people to use the opportunity to build a better nation.

Dhaka: Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus, who is set to lead an interim government after the premier was ousted, called for calm and urged people to use the opportunity to build a better nation.

"I fervently appeal to everybody to stay calm. Please refrain from all kinds of violence," the Nobel-winning microfinance pioneer said in a statement, a day ahead of his expected return to the country from Europe. "Be calm and get ready to build the country. If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed."

The 84-year-old will lead a caretaker government after mass protests forced longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee, the presidency has said. "This is our beautiful country with lots of exciting possibilities," he added. "We must protect and make it a wonderful country for us and for our future generations."

Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh (AP)

Hasina fled by helicopter on Monday after more than a month of student-led protests, which started as a campaign against civil service job quotas but escalated into demands the leader quit. "I congratulate the brave students who took the lead in making our Second Victory Day possible, and to the people for giving your total support to them," Yunus added. "Let us make the best use of our new victory. Let us not let this slip away because of our mistakes."

He has said he wants to hold elections "within a few months". In January, he and three colleagues from one of the companies he founded were sentenced to jail terms of six months -- but immediately bailed pending appeal -- by a Dhaka labour court, which found they had illegally failed to create a workers' welfare fund.

All four had denied the charges and, with courts accused of rubber-stamping decisions by Hasina's government, the case was criticised as politically motivated by watchdogs including Amnesty International. Yunus later travelled abroad -- but is due to fly from Europe to arrive in Dhaka early Thursday afternoon. Key political leader Tarique Rahman, acting president of the former opposition Bangladesh National Party, spoke via video broadcast to a giant rally of supporters in Dhaka.

Rahman, who went into exile in London during Hasina's rule, urged for elections to be swiftly held. "The vote should be held as quickly as possible," Rahman said, also urging calm. Since Hasina fled, police reported mobs launching revenge attacks on her allies. "Don't take laws into your hands", he told BNP supporters.

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