Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, has announced plans to form an inclusive interim government following the resignation and departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In a broadcast on Monday, General Waker-Uz-Zaman declared that he was “taking full responsibility” and that the army would establish an interim government.
It was reported earlier that Sheikh Hasina, 76, resigned and fled the country amid weeks of deadly protests.
She left her Dhaka residence shortly before it was overtaken and has since arrived at the Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, about 30 kilometers from Delhi.
General Waker stated in a televised address, “I give you my word that all injustices will be addressed,” although it remains unclear if he will lead the new government. He emphasised the need to halt violence, citing the severe impact on the country’s economy and the loss of many lives.
Appointed as Chief of Army Staff only in June, General Waker was a trusted ally of Hasina, partly due to their distant familial connection.
The general has a background as a UN peacekeeper and has previously worked in Hasina’s office. His father-in-law served as army chief during Hasina’s first term as prime minister from 1996 to 2001.
In response to the widespread political unrest, the military had declared an emergency in January 2007 and installed a caretaker government for two years. Hasina later returned to power in 2009 and secured her fourth consecutive term in January following an election that lacked genuine opposition.
Last month, the army was deployed to suppress protests but shifted tactics on Sunday, allowing some demonstrations to proceed.
General Waker indicated that he had engaged with main opposition parties and civil society representatives, though he had not met with Hasina’s Awami League.
He expressed optimism about forging a better future, stating, “If we work together, we can achieve a favorable outcome.”
The general, a Bangladesh Military Academy graduate who served two tours as a UN peacekeeper in Angola and Liberia, called for an end to the weeks of protests, which began in early July over government hiring rules but escalated into calls for Hasina’s resignation. At least 300 people have been killed in the unrest.
“If the situation improves, there will be no need for an emergency,” he said. General Waker appealed to university students, who initially launched the protests, to support the army and remain calm.
General Waker received officer training in Britain and holds master’s degrees in defense studies from Bangladesh’s National University and King’s College London.
He was commissioned in 1985 and has served as an instructor at the Army’s College for Infantry and Tactics and Bangladesh’s Institute for Peace Support Operations. He is married with two daughters.