Dhaka, Bangladesh – Following a week of intense protests and violence that resulted in over 300 deaths, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country. Student leaders, who played a central role in the protests, are now expressing relief over the political change.

Maliha Namlah, 19, one of the coordinators for the student movement at Jahangirnagar University, emphasizes that they now hope for a civil society government that can implement real reforms. “We would not fight and give blood for a military government,” Namlah told Al Jazeera, “we wanted a civilian form of governance.”

The previously uncertain political landscape became clearer when Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Prize laureate and a strong critic of Hasina, was appointed as the “chief adviser” for a new caretaker government. This government has been tasked with bringing peace and democracy to the country of 170 million inhabitants. Yunus, who has promised to create “freedom for all citizens,” is seen as a key figure who can navigate the country through its current crisis. “Bangladesh is one family, and we must unite it,” he stated after his appointment.

The student-led protests, which culminated in Hasina’s resignation, were against a quota system for public jobs that many believed favored those close to Hasina’s Awami League party. These protests, which began with peaceful demonstrations, were soon met with violence from both security forces and party supporters, leading to the current crisis.

“Under [Hasina’s] autocratic rule, we lived in a dark era,” said Asif Nazrul, a professor at Dhaka University. “But now that a new government is in place, we must ensure that this does not become a repetition of the past.”

The new government, which includes both experienced politicians and younger activists, represents a blend of established figures and new voices from the youth of the country. Two 26-year-old student leaders, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, have been assigned ministerial positions, indicating a shift towards younger leadership.

The challenges facing the interim government are numerous, including ensuring law and order, rebuilding trust in government institutions, and ensuring that free and fair elections are held. Many citizens are demanding that the new government prioritize their democratic rights, which have been suppressed under Hasina’s regime.

“Government leaders must ensure that they act in the best interests of the general population,” say political analysts, pointing to economic reforms and a necessary adjustment of Bangladesh’s foreign policy as urgent tasks.

Government member Adilur Rahman Khan has also stated that all human rights violations during the previous administration will be investigated. “Ensuring human rights will be a central task for the interim government,” he said.

For the time being, it remains unclear how this new government will manage the challenges ahead and secure a stable future for Bangladesh during this period of uncertainty and change.