Diplomatic Correspondent :
People of all walks of life in Bangladesh are very much enthusiastic and overwhelmed with the speech of Chief Adviser of the Interim Government Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus given at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday seeking cooperation of the international community in rebuilding new Bangladesh.
Besides his speech at UNGA, Dr. Yunus also attended at least 40 major events on the sidelines of the general assembly where heads of state and government committed to stand with Bangladesh.
The Chief Adviser is scheduled to return home early this morning (Sunday) with high commitments from world leaders including Joe Biden to pave the way for rebuilding Bangladesh.
After concluding the four-day visit to New York to attend the UNGA, Dr Yunus and members of his delegation left the JFK International Airport at 9:30pm (New York local time) and are expected to land at Hazrat ShahJalal International Airport at around 2:15am today.
His meeting with US President Joe Biden was a significant one because the meeting was held breaking all the previous customary ways of holding meetings during the UNGA.
Sources said that such meeting between Joe Biden and Muhammad Yunus has drawn international attention and Bangladesh has achieved the US support, which is necessary right now for rebuilding Bangladesh anew after the fall of previous Awami League government.
Even while delivering his speech at the General Assembly, the Chief Adviser has called upon the international community and world leaders to deeply engage with new Bangladesh, aiming to realise freedom and democracy for all.
During the visit, Muhammad Yunus met with 12 heads of state and government, including US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, World Bank President Ajay Banga, IMF President Kristalina Georgieva, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Sources said that this trip is significant for Bangladesh for various reasons because the country has been losing its image in the world arena especially on the issue of democratic image before the West during the Sheikh Hasina government.
During the Hasina government, Bangladesh was not invited to the Democracy Event arranged twice by the Biden Administration. It was highly criticised before the West for the backsliding of Bangladesh from democratic values and human rights.
As Yunus is highly an acceptable figure in the West especially the US, it is expected that this trip of the Chief Adviser would regain the lost image now. Joe Biden during his meeting with Yunus has already given his support to work with the interim government of Bangladesh.
It is further expected that the support of the US means Bangladesh will now gain support from other Western nations to restore its image and improve the relations.
Apart from obtaining support from the West, Dr Yunus has also placed the pressing issue of Bangladesh, the Rohingya crisis before the world. He even placed three proposals to address the crisis.
He had significant discussions with UN officials and Commonwealth ministers to expedite the Rohingya repatriation process and met with US and UK ministers regarding the return of laundered money.
He also engaged with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to strengthen energy, trade, and economic cooperation, and had similar meetings with the presidents of Maldives and Pakistan.
Yunus called for a reduction in export duties on the garment sector and the provision of GSP benefits.
Such demands had previously been impossible due to the US-opposing policies of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Following the violent uprising on August 5 that led to Sheikh Hasina’s fall and escape, Dr. Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of the interim government. This was his first foreign trip after the government was formed on August 8.