Yunus meets global leaders, seeks support to bring back laundered money
The chief adviser urged the global leaders to send top experts, think tanks, journalists, and international organisations to Bangladesh to look into how corrupt was Hasina's rule
Highlights
- Briefed global leaders about the reform plans of the interim government
- He also discussed Bangladesh's energy security during the meetings
- Yunus said Bangladesh intends to create an economic platform
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, during his hectic second day at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland's Davos today (22 January), called on Bangladesh's international allies to aid in the recovery of substantial amounts of laundered money.
The chief adviser met Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general; Wolfgang Schmidt, head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks, Federal Chancellery of Germany; King Philippe, king of Belgium; Paetongtarn Shinawatra, prime minister of Thailand; Ignazio Cassis, federal councillor, Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, Switzerland; Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, UAE; Congo President Felix Tshisekedi; former US secretary of state John Kerry; and former British prime minister Tony Blair; among others, on the sidelines of the WEF annual meeting.
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The chief adviser urged the global leaders to send top experts, think tanks, journalists, and international organisations to Bangladesh to look into how the "plain and daylight robbery" was committed in Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina's "corrupt" 16-year-long rule, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB after the meetings.
Lutfey Siddiqi, special envoy to chief adviser, briefed German Minister Schmidt regarding the government's efforts in recovering the stolen money.
He said the government had targeted the top 20 money launderers initially to recover their stolen money.
Highlighting the interim government's efforts to build a corruption-free Bangladesh, Prof Yunus told the German minister, "When we talk about new Bangladesh, we also talk about clean Bangladesh."
The chief adviser sought German support to this effect and also discussed potential fields of economic cooperation with the German minister.
Yunus said Bangladesh intends to create an economic platform, also involving India, Nepal, and Bhutan, to explore the hydroelectric potential of Nepal. "Nepal is really ready to sell, and Bangladesh is a good market. It can create a lot of jobs and lessen dependence on fossil fuels," he said.
The chief adviser briefed the global leaders about the reform plans of the interim government and the plan for the next general elections.
In his meeting with the German minister and Swiss councillor, he also discussed Bangladesh's energy security.
Yunus also discussed with Thailand Prime Minister Shinawatra the Rohingya crisis and areas of economic cooperation, including shipping.
"We want to resolve the Rohingya crisis quickly as more and more Rohingyas are coming to Bangladesh," he said.
