THE first ever visit by the high-powered US delegation to Bangladesh has met with leaders of the interim government headed by Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka.
At the meeting Dr. Yunus sought assistance from the multiagency delegation led by US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Finance and Development Brent Neiman and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Donald Lu.
During the meeting held at State Guest House Jamuna, Dr. Yunus described the interim government now facing challenges, saying his administration has moved quickly to “reset, reform, and restart” the economy, initiate reforms in financial sectors, and fix institutions such as the judiciary and police.
Indeed, the interim government has inherited all the social and economic ills left by the fallen Hasina government, which the chief adviser termed as an ‘ocean of corruption’.
However, it is clear that the U.S. wants to see the interim government succeed and prosper.
Political experts are optimistic that with the fall of Hasina government on August 5 following the student and people uprising, the nation is hopefully having a clear chance to regain its democracy.
Now is the perfect time for Bangladesh and the US to rebuild their partnership at the peak. The visit of the US delegation has already heralded the changes to further solidify Bangladesh’s future as a democracy.
We can already witness some key developments taking place since the visit, with USAID having signed a development agreement over $200 million with the interim government to support Bangladesh in advancing development, strengthening governance, expanding trade, and generating employment.
Bangladesh is currently in the midst of a sea change, whether we are discussing the state of our polity or indeed the economy.
A renewed partnership with the US is, perhaps, just what we need at this hour.