Muhammad Yunus Names Key Figures Behind Bangladesh Uprising, Credits Them For 'Monsoon Revolution'

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus revealed the key figures behind Bangladesh's "Monsoon Revolution" at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Yunus, chief adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, credited three student leaders for the movement that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule.

"They shook the whole nation by their speeches, dedication, commitment," Yunus said, praising the students' courage. He specifically highlighted Mahfuz Alam, his special assistant, as the "brains behind the whole revolution."

Alam, a law student at Dhaka University and coordinator of the students' agitation, modestly denies his role, saying "not me, many others." However, Yunus stressed on Alam's significance.

The revolution was not spontaneous but meticulously planned and disciplined, Yunus explained.

"It was organised in such a way that no single leader could be singled out or arrested," he noted.

Yunus shared stories of the previous government's violent crackdown on student protesters, resulting in nearly 450 deaths and thousands of detentions.

Despite attempts to suppress the movement, the sustained student uprising forced Hasina's resignation.

Notable student activists, including Nahid Islam, were appointed to influential positions in the caretaker regime.

Islam, a 26-year-old sociology student, became an adviser in the information and telecommunications ministry, while Alam joined Yunus' team.

The movement began in July 2024, sparked by the reinstatement of a contentious job quota system, which revived long-standing frustrations among students and the public.