DHAKA: Bangladesh’s new leader Muhammad Yunus on Sunday said that the country’s new government will continue supporting both its immense Rohingya refugee population and its vital garment trade.
In his first major policy address since taking office, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus reassured the international community of Bangladesh’s ongoing support for its Rohingya refugee population.
Yunus, who assumed leadership after a turbulent period marked by the ousting of his predecessor Sheikh Hasina, outlined his administration’s priorities and commitment to reform.
Yunus returned to Bangladesh earlier this month following a student-led revolution that saw the abrupt departure of Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country under dramatic circumstances just days before Yunus’s address.
His new role as “chief adviser” to a caretaker government marks a significant shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape, which has been characterized by longstanding institutional decay and political unrest.
In his address to diplomats and UN representatives, Yunus underscored his administration’s commitment to supporting the estimated one million Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh.
“Our government will continue to support the million-plus Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh,” Yunus affirmed. He emphasized the need for ongoing international assistance for humanitarian operations and the eventual repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar with safety, dignity, and full rights.
The Rohingya have been in Bangladesh since fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, which is now the subject of a genocide investigation by a UN court.
Yunus also addressed concerns about Bangladesh’s vital garment industry, which has faced disruptions amid the recent political unrest. “We won’t tolerate any attempt to disrupt the global clothing supply chain, in which we are a key player,” he said.
Bangladesh’s 3,500 garment factories are a cornerstone of the country’s economy, accounting for approximately 85 percent of its $55 billion in annual exports.
The political turmoil that led to Hasina’s ouster saw widespread disruptions in the textile industry, with many suppliers relocating their orders due to the instability.
Yunus acknowledged the scale of the recent upheaval. He described the mass protests against Hasina’s regime as a significant moment in the country’s history. “Hundreds of thousands of our valiant students and people rose up against the brutal dictatorship of Sheikh Hasina,” Yunus said. He highlighted the severe crackdown by security forces, which resulted in over 450 deaths and thousands of injuries.
The new leader also pledged to cooperate with a forthcoming UN fact-finding mission to investigate the alleged atrocities during the crackdown. “We want an impartial and internationally credible investigation into the massacre,” Yunus stated.
Yunus has committed to conducting free and fair elections as soon as possible, once his government has completed necessary reforms in key institutions, including the election commission, judiciary, civil administration, security forces, and media. He described the previous administration as having “destroyed every institution of the country” and vowed to make sincere efforts towards national reconciliation.
