Nahid Islam

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus appealed for religious unity Saturday as he embraced the weeping mother of a student shot dead by police, a flashpoint in mass protests that ended Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was sworn into office Thursday as Bangladesh's interim leader, vowing to guide the country back to democracy after a student-led uprising ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh police on Thursday released from custody six student leaders whose protest campaign against civil service job quotas sparked deadly nationwide unrest last month, a senior officer told AFP.