Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus hopes to strengthen relations with the United States, the largest importer of Bangladeshi garments, under President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency.
Yunus seems optimistic for Bangladesh-US ties despite Trump’s strong criticism regarding violence against minorities in the Muslim-majority nation.
“Foreign policies don’t usually change because of a change in the president,” Yunus told The Hindu newspaper, referring to Trump’s victory in this month’s US presidential election.
“It’s a very good relationship that we have built over years with the US. Our hope is that it will be strengthened.”
Trump in a X post at the end of October said: “I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos”.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh shares close cultural and economic ties with its neighbour India, whose Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced concerns over the recent attacks on Hindus.
The protests in Bangladesh, which started in July as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas, have evolved into severe unrest, reportedly resulting in approximately 1,500 fatalities, according to the interim government’s estimate.
Yunus was named head of the caretaker government that took charge of Bangladesh after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August amid violent protests seeking her ouster.
Nobel Peace Laureate Yunus said reports of atrocities against minority was propaganda.
Yunus said Hasina has continued her political activities from India and his caretaker government was taking legal steps to demand her extradition. India’s refusal could sour relations between the South Asian neighbours, Yunus added.
Calling India and Bangladesh twins who are “born to be together”, Yunus said he wants to meet Modi.
“Our dream is imagining a relationship like the European Union (with freedom of movement and trade). That’s the direction we want to go.”
