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TL;DR
- US to help Bangladesh recover billions of dollars stolen and siphoned abroad by individuals linked to the previous regime
- Chief Adviser Yunus prioritizes fighting corruption, improving law and order, and enhancing labor standards to attract foreign investment
- Bangladesh government upholds freedom of speech and press, maintains racial harmony, and seeks support for Rohingya children in camps
- US Secretary of State Blinken expresses respect for Prof Yunus’s leadership and offers assistance in tackling endemic corruption
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in New York and assured US support to help recover billions of dollars stolen from Bangladesh and siphoned abroad by individuals linked to the previous regime.
Chief Adviser Yunus emphasized that fighting corruption and improving law and order were the top priorities of his government. “The previous regime sank the country into an ocean of corruption. This [fighting corruption] is my number one issue,” Yunus stated. He described the amount of laundered assets as “huge” and “unbelievable”.
In response, Secretary Blinken offered US assistance, saying, “We are happy to help. We have a lot of expertise in dealing with endemic corruption.” He expressed that the US wants to be good partners and will work quickly to support Bangladesh. Blinken also conveyed the US’s “tremendous” respect for Prof Yunus and admiration for his leadership during a critical time for the nation.
Chief Adviser Yunus highlighted that improving labor standards was another top goal for his government, as it would attract more foreign direct investment. Blinken noted that the US is already the largest source of foreign investment in Bangladesh and hoped for further growth in the coming years.
The two leaders also discussed the UN fact-finding mission investigating atrocities during the July-August uprising and the state of media freedom in Bangladesh. Prof Yunus affirmed that his government has upheld freedom of speech and press freedom, encouraging the media to criticize them “as best as they can.”
Additionally, Chief Adviser Yunus reaffirmed his government’s commitment to maintaining racial harmony in the country, stating, “All of Bangladesh is a big family. We have differences. But we are not enemies.”
The Rohingya crisis was another topic of discussion, with Chief Adviser Yunus seeking support for the hundreds of thousands of young Rohingya children growing up in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
News source: The Daily Star
