In Bangladesh, after Sheikh Hasina’s ousting, the caretaker government is working hard to stabilize the country. Minister Sharmine Murshid spoke with NDTV about their efforts. She said that restoring law and order is their top priority. “Most people in the country want peace,” she added. “Bringing about change is difficult, but we are working on it. We want to rebuild the entire system, and young people are supporting us.”
Focus on Creating an Environment for Democratic Elections
Sharmine Murshid, the social welfare advisor to the caretaker government, said the government’s main focus is to restore law and order. She explained, “Our priority right now is to establish law and order. We are working to create conditions for democratic elections and to improve governance. We are working to return to normalcy.”
No One is Being Marginalized
Regarding attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, Murshid said, “We are preparing the youth for future responsibilities. We are not marginalizing anyone; we are all one family. We will move forward together. We are working on fundamental philosophical changes. Some violence was caused by political issues. It’s important to note that those who faced violence were associated with certain political parties. We should not view attacks on minorities as just attacks on Hindus. The youth protected many mosques and temples during the violence… although we acknowledge that attacks did happen.”
Economic Recovery is a Major Challenge
Restoring the economy is a major challenge for the new Bangladeshi government. Murshid said, “The economy has been significantly harmed due to misinformation. Our focus now is to bring the economy back on track. We are working on several reforms.”
Response to the Quota Movement
Regarding the movement against job reservations, Murshid said, “The quota movement happened because young people felt it was difficult to find jobs and that opportunities were limited. They felt others were getting their rights. Our goal now is to bring a transparent process. There is a lot of corruption in the country, and we need to eliminate it completely. The youth are working with us to achieve this goal. We want to rebuild the entire system. The caretaker government is working to improve the situation after the ousting, but change is a difficult and time-consuming process.”
