US President Joe Biden met with Bangladesh’s new interim leader Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, signaling strong U.S. support for Yunus following his recent appointment. Yunus, a Nobel laureate, assumed leadership after a student-led uprising ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country.
Biden praised Yunus for his efforts to rebuild Bangladesh, pledging continued U.S. assistance to support the country’s reform agenda. The White House emphasized the “shared democratic values” between the U.S. and Bangladesh.
During the meeting, Yunus shared the story of how the students in Bangladesh “rose against tyranny” and helped usher in a new era for the nation. He presented Biden with a book of paintings created by the young revolutionaries, symbolizing the hope and vision for Bangladesh’s future.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, a longtime friend of Yunus, spoke highly of his work during the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting. Clinton highlighted their 40-year friendship and the global impact of Yunus’s microfinance revolution, which empowered impoverished women through small loans.
Clinton praised Yunus’s ability to “stay in the future business” by remaining relevant and committed to global change. Yunus, in turn, acknowledged the students of Bangladesh for driving the revolution and expressed hope for the country’s successful transformation.
Sheikh Hasina’s government faced widespread criticism for human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings. Over 450 people lost their lives in the violence leading up to her removal, and many of her allies have since been arrested or purged from power.
Although the U.S. had maintained cooperation with Hasina on issues like counterterrorism, her government’s backsliding on democratic values drew criticism from Washington. Now, under Yunus’s leadership, Bangladesh looks to rebuild with international support.
