In the past year, Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus visited 11 countries. While most of these trips were aimed at attending multilateral meetings, several also included bilateral engagements.
During these visits, he met with top leaders from various nations.
Since assuming office as Chief Adviser, Dr Yunus has travelled to the United States, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, China, Qatar, Thailand, Vatican City, Japan, and the United Kingdom. These visits have significantly strengthened Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with the respective countries, resulting in the signing of several new agreements and memoranda of understanding.
United States
Dr Yunus began his first foreign trip by attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly from 23–28 September 2024. His debut visit made a notable impression. Under the previous government, the Prime Minister’s delegation to the UN Assembly was typically large. For instance, the 73rd and 74th sessions saw delegations of 344 and 335 members respectively. The 75th session was held virtually due to COVID-19. Despite pandemic constraints, 108 delegates attended the 76th session, 138 the 77th, and even during post-COVID austerity, 146 attended the 78th session. In contrast, Dr Yunus’s delegation comprised only 57 members, marking a significant shift.
Alongside attending the UN General Assembly, Dr Yunus held meetings with the then US President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He also met with the President of the European Commission, the heads of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
Azerbaijan
Dr Yunus participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11–22 November last year. On the sidelines of the summit, he met with several world leaders, notably Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Egypt
From 18–20 December last year, Dr Yunus attended the D-8 Summit in Cairo. During the summit, he held a bilateral meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He also met with Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and delivered a speech at Al-Azhar University.
Switzerland
Dr Yunus attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, from 21–25 January this year. During the event, he held meetings with several heads of state and government.
United Arab Emirates
On 13–14 February, Dr Yunus participated in the World Government Summit in Dubai. He met with UAE Health Minister Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and other officials. In these meetings, he urged UAE leaders to lift visa restrictions on Bangladeshi citizens and to recruit more Bangladeshi workers.
China
From 26–30 March this year, Dr Yunus visited Hainan Province and Beijing. He attended the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan and later held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. During the visit, Bangladesh secured commitments of $2.1 billion in investments, loans, and grants from the Chinese government and companies. Around 30 Chinese firms pledged to invest $1 billion in Bangladesh’s Special Chinese Industrial Economic Zone. Additionally, China announced a two-year extension of Bangladesh’s existing duty- and quota-free export privileges.
Thailand
Dr Yunus attended the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand from 3–4 April this year. He held bilateral meetings with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although initial uncertainty surrounded the meeting with Modi, it ultimately took place.
Qatar
From 21–25 April, Dr Yunus attended the Earthna Summit in Doha. He met with Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, mother of the Emir of Qatar and Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, as well as Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Fund for Development.
Vatican City
On 26 April, Dr Yunus travelled from Qatar to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. Following the ceremony, he met with two senior Catholic Church leaders: Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Kouvakad.
Japan
Dr Yunus participated in the 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia, held in Tokyo from 28 May to 1 June this year. On 30 May, he held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
During the meeting, both leaders discussed regional and international issues and pledged to strengthen cooperation for peace and stability by adhering to the principles of the UN Charter. They reaffirmed their support for a rules-based multilateral system and democracy. Several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed between the two countries following the meeting.
United Kingdom
During his visit to London from 10–13 June, Dr Yunus held a private meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. He also met privately with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman. However, he did not meet British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. In London, Dr Yunus sought cooperation in repatriating laundered funds to Bangladesh.
CA Dr Yunus’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, described the visits as highly successful and productive. He said that these trips have elevated Bangladesh’s relations with the respective countries to new heights.
