Staff Reporter :
The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, on Wednesday made a phone call to Bangladesh interim government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and said that an UN-led investigation will be launched very soon to probe the killing of the protesters during the ‘Student Revolution.’
Volker Türk said a team of UN experts will visit the country soon to set up an investigation.
Dr. Yunus, during the phone call thanked him and his longtime friend Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, for supporting the Bangladesh students’ revolution and championing their rights during unprecedented and devastating killings of student protestors, a press wing of the Chief Aviser confirmed.
The Nobel Peace Laureate said human rights will be the keystone of his administration of the interim government and the protection of every citizen is the top most priority of this government.
Professor Dr.Yunus has sought UN cooperation for rebuilding Bangladesh and to uphold human rights in the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, has urged the country’s garment manufacturers to contribute to the rebuilding of the economy, following 15 years of plundering under the dictatorship of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Nobel Laureate made this call during a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) at the State Guest House Jamuna on Wednesday.
Emphasising the dire economic challenges inherited by the interim government, Dr Yunus called for collective efforts to restore the country’s economic framework.
“In the last 15 years, all institutions were destroyed and now the country is left in disarray. They left us in an economic crisis. But with everyone’s cooperation, we can rebuild the nation,” Dr Yunus remarked.
The meeting was attended by a delegation led by BGMEA Acting President Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, where the Chief Adviser outlined the urgency of the current situation.
He warned, “If we fail, the impact will be disastrous. The nation may face an existential crisis.”
Dr Yunus also urged the manufacturers to refrain from mixing business with politics, stating that businesses should send a clear signal of separation between the two, as political involvement does not benefit the economy.
Professor Yunus lauded the recent student-led revolution, calling it “unprecedented in human history.” He acknowledged the responsibility placed on the interim government to rebuild the nation, noting, “The students and the people have put their trust in us.
I was abroad when they called me and urged me to take up the leadership.”
The BGMEA leaders expressed their full support for Professor Yunus’s leadership, highlighting the importance of the garment sector to the country’s economic recovery. They requested the formation of a task force to address sector-specific challenges and to restore international buyers’ confidence during this critical time.
The BGMEA delegation also raised concerns about relaxed debt repayment terms and adjustments to utility bill payments to help the industry recover. Dr Yunus assured them that these concerns would be given priority.
“Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest garment exporter.
We want it to grow further. The interim government will ensure transparency at every stage. The Bangladeshi people have immense talent, which is the beacon of hope for our desired advancement,” Dr Yunus said.
Following the meeting, BGMEA Director Shovon Islam expressed optimism about the future under Professor Yunus’s leadership.