Bangladesh: Interim Government Promises “Reform and Reset”
The USA has provided the Asian country with $200 million in development funding
Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner and head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has promised to “reset, reform, and restart” the South Asian country. It was shaken for months by popular protests that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India. Yunus said this after a series of talks in Dhaka with a US delegation led by US Undersecretary of State for South Asia Donald Lu and Deputy Treasury Secretary Brent Neuman.
During his talks with the Americans, Yunus illustrated Bangladesh’s goals, primarily to “revitalize” the limping economy of the country of more than 170 million people. In addition, the interim Government intends to focus on reforms of the institutions of power, including the judiciary, the police, and the electoral system. Yunus also reiterated his promise to return assets, “taken away from the state and people of Bangladesh” by those associated with the previous government. “It is not an exaggeration to say that we are steeped in corruption,” the head of the interim government said.
For its part, the United States delegation assured Washington’s commitment to inclusive economic growth, institution building, and development cooperation for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh. The US commitment “focuses on the authorities’ efforts to promote economic growth, create jobs, and continue sustainable development, particularly through dialog with international financial institutions.”
In this context, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed an agreement worth over 200 million dollars with the interim government of Bangladesh. The agreement aims to “stimulate development, support youth, strengthen democracy and governance, improve health care, and expand trade and economic opportunities for the people of the Asian country.” The United States has been a development partner of Bangladesh since 1972. The new agreement is part of a broader package of agreements signed on September 27, 2021 for the years 2021-2026. USAID’s total commitment is $954 million, of which $425 million has already been disbursed.
