The US has doubled down on its support for Bangladesh's interim government established after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 following a month-long mass movement led by the students. This is tangible from the discussions and assurances made by a high-level US delegation which visited Dhaka early this week.
This means there has been a palpable shift in US foreign policy towards Bangladesh in the wake of the changed political scenario with the belief that the interim government led by the Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus would be able to conduct a free, fair and inclusive parliamentary election acceptable to all.
The US which has long been trying to advance democratic practice and process in Bangladesh had remained concerned over the January 7 election boycotted by the major political parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), describing that one-party election as far from fair and credible.
And that election issue was the focus in a meeting between Dr. Yunus and members of the US delegation headed by the Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury Department Brent Nieman in which Chief Adviser gave an outline of the reform initiatives undertaken by the his interim government to prevent vote rigging in the future parliamentary elections.
Accordingly, six commissions have been set up to reform judiciary, police, civil administration and the Anti-Corruption Commission. And Dr Yunus sought supports from the United States to carry out these vital reforms. He also wanted US cooperation in rebuilding Bangladesh and in bringing back stolen assets siphoned off by a section of corrupt Bangladeshi people during the regime of the recently ousted government through money laundering.
Other issues which were discussed during the meeting included financial and economic reforms, investment, labour and the Rohingya crises. Chief Adviser's upcoming visit to New York to join the UN General Assembly was also on the agenda.
Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu who has been well known in Bangladesh for his previous visits to Dhaka on several occasions was also part of the US delegation. He met with some key advisors of the interim government to discuss how the United States can support Bangladesh's economic growth, financial stability, governance and development needs.
As part of the token of renewed cooperation, the US signed with the Bangladesh interim government a development agreement worth over $200 million in interim assistance which will support governance, expanding trade and creating greater opportunities for the Bangladeshi people to build a brighter and more prosperous future. In addition, from 2021-2026, USAID has committed nearly $1 billion to help improve the lives of the Bangladeshi people.
Most importantly, this newest tranche of funding has been aimed at assisting Bangladesh as the interim government plans a more inclusive, equitable and democratic course for its people.
