In a recent letter sent to the chief advisor appointed to the transitional body, Muhammad Yunus, Guterres urged for the inclusion of the youth and women, as well as minorities and indigenous communities.

The UN top representative was optimistic that the interim Government will ensure full protection for all citizens and, in particular, minorities, his Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Tuesday.

Likewise, he welcomed efforts to restore calm after protests broke in July to demand an end to employment quotas, leading to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Guterres urged the Nobel Peace Prize laureate to secure the welfare of Rohingya refugees in view of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar.

On August 8, Yunus took interim office as the head of the new 17-member interim Government. The transitional president aimed to restore law and order along with a democratic system of government, including elections as soon as possible.

Bangladesh was the scene of large-scale rallies against controversial civil service employment quotas, which reserved 30 percent of government jobs for the families of those who fought in Pakistan’s 1971 war of independence.

It is estimated that over 400 people were killed in the unrest that also led to Hasina’s departure from office and the country.

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