Bangladesh's presidential office says Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus will head the country's interim government after Sheikh Hasina stepped down as prime minister.

Hasina resigned on Monday after a police crackdown against nationwide protests over government job quotas left scores of people dead. The protests by students and others began in July.

After her resignation, President Mohammed Shahabuddin decided to launch an interim government until elections could be held. He held talks with representatives from the military, opposition parties and the students.

As a result, the presidential office announced that Yunus would lead the interim government as the chief adviser.

Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, which provides small loans to impoverished people. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Relations between him and the Bangladeshi government have reportedly been strained since he expressed his intention to enter politics.

In January, he was convicted of labor law violations, a verdict his supporters criticized as politically motivated.

In the discussions to form an interim government, the house arrest of an opposition party leader, who was detained under the Hasina administration, was lifted.

The interim leaders appear to be aiming to swiftly establish a government that can gain broad public understanding.