A senior Bangladeshi source told TRT World that the US and Bangladeshi leaders held bilateral discussions during which neither party brought up the subject of ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
UN Headquarters, New York The former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India during the August 2024 revolution, was not discussed in the talks between US President Joe Biden and Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of the Bangladeshi government, on the fringes of the UN General Assembly in New York, a Bangladeshi official told TRT World.
When asked if Hasina, who has allegedly blamed the US for her departure, was discussed between the two presidents, Yunus’ press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, responded, “I do not think so, no,” to TRT World on the fringes of the UNGA.
The former iron-fisted prime minister left her post and departed the South Asian country for India last month. The US denied any involvement in her removal, labeling reports of Washington’s meddling as “simply false.”
During the meeting between Yunus and Biden, Alam told TRT World, the latter pledged his “full support to Bangladesh.”
Following the violent, student-led revolt that toppled Hasina, the 84-year-old economist was named the nation’s “chief advisor” in August.
Yunus has called for Hasina’s extradition from New Delhi
Yunus, who founded Grameen Bank and was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his groundbreaking ideas in microcredit and microfinance, has won multiple honors in the US, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010 and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
“Professor is a well-known person here,” Alam remarked, mentioning his numerous accolades and friendships with members of both American parties in the US.
“He has friends within the Democratic Party and he has friends within the Republican Party as well.”
Both parties talked about “what they (US government) can do for Bangladesh,” according to Alam, as well as the movement that overthrew the previous administration.
Yunus will address the UNGA on climate justice
In a message later made available to the media by Bangladeshi officials, Yunus told Biden about how the students “rose against the tyranny of the previous government and gave their lives to create this opportunity to rebuild Bangladesh.”
According to the White House, Biden “offered continued US support as Bangladesh implements its new reform agenda,” congratulated Yunus on his recent appointment as the leader of the interim administration, and welcomed more cooperation between the two governments.
Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi official informed TRT World that his nation will bring up the topic of climate justice during the UNGA.
Everything should be there, in my opinion. We are among the nations most vulnerable to climate change. Naturally, climate justice, climate vulnerabilities, and the kinds of issues we confront as a result of climate change are always present whenever our leader of government speaks about it, Alam added.
