A US delegation talks with Bangladesh's interim leader about the economy
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[September 16, 2024] By
JULHAS ALAM
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A high-level U.S. delegation
met Sunday with the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Nobel
laureate Muhammad Yunus, to affirm “dedication to fostering
inclusive economic growth," according to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka.
Yunus took over after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the
country last month amid a mass uprising. She was accused of
corruption, violation of human rights and excessive use of force
against the protesters.
During her 15-year rule, Hasina enjoyed close relations with India,
China and Russia who have heavily invested in the country’s
infrastructure development, trade and investment. The U.S. has also
become the single largest foreign investor in Bangladesh under
Hasina.
Yunus on Sunday said he sought U.S. support “to rebuild the country,
carry out vital reforms, and bring back stolen assets,” his press
office said in a statement after he met the delegation at the State
Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.
He told the U.S. representatives his interim administration has
moved fast to “reset, reform, and restart” the economy, initiate
reforms in financial sectors, and fix institutions such as the
judiciary and police, the statement said.
The U.S. delegation, led by Brent Neiman, assistant secretary for
International Finance at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, had
representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development,
and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Donald Lu, assistant
secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, joined the
delegation after visiting India.
They met with several officials in Dhaka, including Touhid Hossain,
the country’s adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The USAID
also signed an agreement to provide $202.25 million in aid to
Bangladesh.
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This photo handed out provided by Bangladesh Press Information
Department (PID) shows Brent Neiman, US Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury for International Finance and Development, left, speaking
with Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh's interim government's leader, in
Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Sep. 15, 2024. (PID via AP)
The U.S. embassy on X underscored how American
companies are entrenched in the South Asian country.
“With the right economic reforms in place, the American private
sector can help unlock Bangladesh’s growth potential through trade
and investment,” the embassy wrote on its official account.
The delegation also met representatives of the American companies
under the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham)
operating in Bangladesh upon arriving Saturday.
Concerns over safety and lack of order in Bangladesh were relayed by
the companies' agents.
AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed said at the meeting that while
there were improvements after the interim government was installed,
“there are some bottlenecks too.” Profit repatriation amid the
ongoing crisis of U.S. dollars and challenges in the supply chain
resulting from congestion at ports were among the issues he raised.
The meeting came as unrest took hold of the country's major garment
industry with workers walking out, leaving factories shuttered, as
they demanded better benefits including higher wages. The factory
owners, the government and workers’ leaders are holding meetings to
ease the tension.
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to
climate-induced disasters. The U.S. embassy on its official Facebook
page said the United States wanted to help it "mitigate climate
risks.”
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