Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, remarked that the general election scheduled for February 12 will serve as a permanent standard or ‘benchmark’ for all future elections in the country.
The Chief Advisor’s press wing informed on Friday (January 23) morning that he expressed this optimism during a courtesy meeting with the newly appointed US Ambassador Brent Christensen at the state guest house Jamuna on Thursday. This was the US Ambassador’s first official meeting with the Chief Advisor since assuming office.
Professor Yunus assured the Ambassador that the government is fully prepared for a free, fair, and transparent election, and a large number of observers from international development partners, including the European Union, will be present.
During the meeting, various important aspects of bilateral relations were discussed in detail, including labor law reforms, the proposed Bangladesh-United States tariff agreement, and the Rohingya crisis. The Chief Advisor described the election as a ‘festive’ event and expressed hope that it would establish a healthy democratic tradition in the country.
In response, US Ambassador Brent Christensen highly praised Professor Yunus’s leadership over the past 18 months and stated that the United States eagerly awaits working with the winners of the election. He particularly commended Bangladesh’s new labor laws and applauded the government’s efforts in implementing reforms.
In the context of regional politics, the Chief Advisor presented several important aspects of Bangladesh’s foreign policy to the Ambassador. He informed that Dhaka is striving to gain membership in ASEAN, the bloc of Southeast Asian nations, and has already applied for ‘Sectoral Dialogue Partnership’.
Concurrently, he emphasized the revitalization of SAARC to enhance regional and economic cooperation in South Asia. Professor Yunus expressed hope that the subsequent elected government would also advance these regional solidarity initiatives. Additionally, he thanked President Donald Trump for reducing tariffs on Bangladeshi goods exported to the US market and stressed further expansion of bilateral trade.
During the meeting, besides appreciating the continuous US humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees, the discussion also touched upon the US visa restrictions recently imposed on Bangladesh, along with 75 other countries worldwide. The US Ambassador expressed satisfaction with the progress of discussions between the two countries on expanding agricultural product trade.
Senior officials, including National Security Advisor Dr. Khalilur Rahman and SDG Chief Coordinator Lamia Murshed, were present at this meeting, which was held in a very cordial atmosphere. It is believed that this discussion will further strengthen the strategic and economic partnership between Dhaka and Washington.
Source: BSS