Bangladesh hosts high-level U.S. diplomats, seeks assistance for completing post-Hasina reforms

Bangladesh seeks U.S. assistance for reform agenda, signs $200 million deal with USAID for development and governance.

Bangladesh on Sunday (September 15, 2024) sought assistance from the United States to implement the reform-related agenda of the interim government. Chief Adviser Prof Mohammed Yunus conveyed the requirements of the interim government to a multiagency delegation led by U.S. 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.

Mr. Yunus briefed the visiting U.S. delegation about the prevailing scenario in Bangladesh since the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government fell following protests stemming from a student-people uprising. He said the interim government had constituted six commissions to reform various segments of the Bangladeshi state such as the judiciary, the police, the election commission and the constitution apart from launching an anti-corruption team. The visit is being keenly watched as it is the first high-level delegation from the U.S. visiting Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina, who was widely known to be critical of the U.S. administration.

“We were submerged in an ocean of corruption,” Mr. Yunus told the U.S. officials according to a readout issued by the BSS, the state-owned news outlet of Bangladesh. The hour-long meeting also covered the ongoing labour unrest in the country that has prompted the closure of a large number of garment factories in Bangladesh, the Rohingya crisis and the upcoming visit of Mr. Yunus to New York.

The multi-agency team from the U.S. had stopped in New Delhi for bilateral consultation before reaching Dhaka on Saturday. The India visit of the Donald Lu-Brent Neiman delegation prompted some commentators to hint that the U.S. is probably aware of the Indian concerns in the aftermath of the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. This backdrop has prompted leading Bangladesh-watcher Jon Danilowicz to say in an article in Dhaka Tribune, “It will be important for the U.S. side to reassure their Bangladeshi counterparts that they are not singing off someone else’s sheet music.”  The interim government has been critical of Sheikh Hasina residing in India where she took refuge after losing power.

A major outcome of the visit was the signing of a deal between USAID and Bangladesh that will pave the way of grant for $200 million to Dhaka. “@USAID signed an agreement worth $200 million with the Bangladesh interim government to advance development, empower youth, strengthen democracy and governmence, improve health and expand trade and economic opportunities to people across the country,” said the USAID Bangladesh in a statement after the agreement.

The deal was signed by Finance adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain. Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin briefed the journalists and said that the discussion with the U.S. delegation covered all issues that fell in the domain of “bilateral ties”, indicating that India-Bangladesh ties did not feature in the talks. In response to a question about possible meeting between Mr. Yunus and U.S. President Joe Biden in New York, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin said that a bilateral meeting was not yet on the cards but indicated that an interaction was possible as there are planned social events on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s annual session.

The interim government led by Mr. Yunus took charge on August 7 and has been focused on the law and order situation which has faced increased challenges recently. Apart from reports of attacks on the Awami League activists, violence has also targeted Islamic Sufi shrines.