Muhammad Yunus Says Asif Mahmud Persuaded Him to Lead Bangladesh's Interim Government

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus said Sunday that student leader Asif Mahmud played a decisive role in convincing him to lead Bangladesh's interim government after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Speaking on the final day of the 16th Social Business Day, organized by the Yunus Centre and Grameen Group at the Samajik Convention Centre in Savar, Yunus described how he initially resisted repeated requests from Asif while attending the Paris Olympics in France.

"This is the guy who made me take the job," Yunus said, referring to Asif.

According to Yunus, he repeatedly declined Asif's requests, saying, "Find somebody else. I am not the right fit for this kind of thing. I do things I enjoy."

Yunus said Asif later warned that Bangladesh had gone three days without a functioning government and that the country urgently needed leadership.

"This is getting too late. The whole country is impatient for a government. For three days there has been no government because you are not agreeing," Asif told him, Yunus recalled.

Yunus said he then agreed to take responsibility, and Asif urged him to return immediately.

"Catch the flight as soon as possible. Catch the first flight," Yunus quoted Asif as saying.

Yunus became head of Bangladesh's interim government after Sheikh Hasina left the country on Aug. 5, 2024, following weeks of nationwide protests. Demonstrations erupted after security forces and supporters of the then-ruling Awami League cracked down on protesters.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported that up to 1,400 people were killed during the July Uprising.

During his speech, Yunus also praised another student leader, Nahid Islam, calling him "history, not just a person."

He credited Nahid with helping lead the student movement despite a deadly crackdown by security forces.

"They tried everything. They killed people, killed their colleagues, students. 1,400 of them. In three weeks. On the street. They were there. He was in the front," Yunus said.

The remarks came during the 16th Social Business Day, which brought together entrepreneurs, academics, policymakers, innovators and young leaders from around the world.

This year's conference theme was "Social Business: The Language of Peace in a Fractured World."

The two-day event featured keynote speeches, innovation showcases and discussions on poverty, healthcare, financial inclusion, climate change, education, food security and youth empowerment.