Staff Reporter :
While Tarique Rahman conveyed greetings from BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, saying, “Amma sends you Salam,” Dr Yunus responded with a warm nod and said, “She is an extraordinary person. Wa alaikum as-salaam.”
They talked in an atmosphere where the usually tranquil street outside
The Dorchester Hotel in London had come to life on a crisp, sunlit morning. Hundreds of BNP leaders and supporters had gathered in an orderly yet spirited manner, lining the pavement opposite the hotel.
Waving flags and chanting slogans in support of Bangladesh and the BNP, their voices rose in peaceful unison.
The quiet was briefly interrupted when a sleek, olive-hued vehicle arrived at the hotel entrance under tightened security measures.
From it stepped BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, greeted warmly by National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam. Before entering the hotel, Rahman turned to acknowledge the gathered supporters, raising his hand in greeting as cheers echoed across the street.
Inside the hotel, Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the Interim Government, awaited his guest. In a private room set for the occasion, the two men exchanged greetings with calm composure and a shared smile.
Rahman introduced BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and the party’s International Affairs Adviser, Humayun Kabir.
According to officials, the meeting, though brief, was cordial and thoughtful.
The two leaders exchanged reflections on the country’s current state, sharing aspirations for a peaceful and forward-looking Bangladesh.
As a gesture of goodwill, Tarique Rahman presented Dr Yunus with a finely crafted pen and two books: No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg and Nature Matters: Vital Poems from the Global Majority, edited by Karen McCarthy Woolf and Mona Arshi.
The choice of books was noted by many as symbolically poignant – the first speech in Thunberg’s collection is titled Our Lives Are in Your Hands.
Photos of the gifts were later shared on the verified Facebook account of Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, capturing a quiet yet telling moment of diplomacy wrapped in thoughtfulness.
