No Place for Retribution in Bangladesh: CA Tells US Envoy

“We are all children of this country. There should be no place for retribution,” Prof. Yunus stated, adding that he has directed law enforcement agencies to uphold human rights in their operations, regardless of circumstances.

Jacobson, the US Chargé d'affaires to Bangladesh, met with Prof. Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna to discuss a range of mutual interests, including the impact of the US decision to freeze USAID operations worldwide.

The two also touched on the interim government’s reform agenda, the Rohingya crisis, migration, and Bangladesh's law and order situation. Yunus shared his efforts to establish a consensus commission and begin dialogue with political parties to agree on reforms, stating, "Once we have consensus, political parties will sign a July Charter to implement them."

The US envoy stressed the importance of holding free, fair, and inclusive elections and inquired about the recently launched "Operation Devil Hunt" by Bangladesh’s security forces, according to Yunus’s press wing.

Yunus expressed gratitude for US humanitarian aid to over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, calling US assistance “the most crucial aid to the Rohingyas.” However, he voiced concerns about the US decision to freeze aid to key projects in Bangladesh, including the ICDDR'B, a leading health research institute that has significantly reduced deaths from cholera and diarrhoea both in Bangladesh and globally.

He appealed for continued US support during this critical period, stating, "This isn’t the time to stop it. Bangladesh needs your support for rebuilding, reforms, and reconstruction."