Md Touhid Hossain, the Foreign Affairs Advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, emphasized the importance of balancing relations with major global powers, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. On Friday, Hossain highlighted the necessity for Bangladesh to maintain friendly ties with all nations. “We aim to keep good relations with everyone. It’s crucial to balance our relations with the big powers,” he was quoted by the Dhaka Tribune. Additionally, Hossain stated that restoring law and order is the interim government’s primary focus, with other issues to be addressed subsequently.
In a related development, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed hope that Bangladesh’s new interim government would lead the nation towards a democratic future. Miller confirmed ongoing communications with the interim government, including the attendance of the US charge d’affaires at Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus’s swearing-in as the chief advisor. “Our charge d’affaires was present at the swearing-in. While I cannot confirm if she conversed with him, she did attend, signifying communication with the interim government,” Miller stated during a press briefing. He reiterated the US’s desire for the interim government to guide Bangladesh towards democracy.
Professor Yunus’s immediate challenges include restoring peace and preparing for upcoming elections. He was recently cleared by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in a bribery case concerning the misappropriation of funds from the Grameen Telecom Workers and Employees Welfare Fund, following an earlier acquittal in a labor law violation case.