Bangladesh interim govt to compensate families of killed, injured

The interim government took a number of decisions on Sunday, including helping the families of the deceased protesters, making a list, and bearing the treatment costs of the injured during recent student protests that led to the ouster of long-time ruler Sheikh Hasina.

In an informal meeting of the Advisory Council with chief adviser Muhammad Yunus in the chair at his official residence, Jamuna, the government also decided to resume metro rail service and take steps to ensure supply of all essentials at the market.

The new interim government also decided to form a search committee to fill the vacant posts of deputy governors of Bangladesh Bank and also decided that the chief adviser would immediately sit with the representative bodies to find out ways to resolve the issue of recent attacks on religious minorities.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, told the media about the decisions in a statement after the meeting.

As per its decision, the interim government decided to help the families of the deceased protesters who were killed during the student-led mass uprising across the country.

The advisory council also decided to bear all treatment costs for injured protesters by preparing a list of all injured protesters quickly, and the health ministry shall accordingly instruct all hospitals to take measures in this regard.

Expressing grave concern over the attacks on religious minorities in some places, the advisory council took the decision that their chief adviser would immediately sit with the representative bodies and other concerned groups to find ways to resolve such attacks.

It also decided that the ministry of foreign affairs would immediately start consultation for the release of the 57 Bangladeshis arrested and sentenced by the authorities of the United Arab Emirates for protesting in support of Bangladeshi students and people during the movement.

If needed, the chief adviser himself shall talk to the UAE government, they decided.

It was also decided at the meeting that a list of all contractual appointments would be prepared.

While some disputed and controversial contracts have already been terminated, the  government decided that the rest would be terminated in phases. The resignation letters of the Bangladesh Bank governor and the chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission have been accepted, said the government.

It was also decided that the governor of Bangladesh Bank would be appointed soon.

A search committee was formed comprising Muslim Chowdhury, Ahsan H. Mansur, and Nazrul Islam to recommend appointments to the vacant posts of deputy governors of the central bank.

The Advisory Council at the meeting also decided to resume the operation of the metro rail service on August 17.

The rail, however, will not stop at the damaged Kazipara and Mirpur stations until the completion of their repairs.

Apart from this, the government also took decisions to take the necessary steps to ensure the supply of all essentials at the market.

Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus took the oath as chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh along with 13 other advisers on Thursday, four days after Hasina resigned. Two other advisers took oaths on Sunday.

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