London: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today left here for home wrapping up his four-day official tour to London. A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Chief Adviser and entourage departed Heathrow Airport for home at about 7:15 pm (London time), Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told BSS.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the main focus of Chief Adviser’s tour to London was on the recovery of stolen assets. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that US$ 234 billion was siphoned off from Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s reign, with a portion laundered to the UK. Hence, asset recovery was a significant agenda of Prof Yunus’s UK visit.
During the visit, BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman met with Prof Yunus at a city hotel to discuss Bangladesh’s next general elections, reform, and other pertinent issues. Prof Yunus also held a telephone conversation with former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, focusing on Bangladesh’s ongoing economic recovery and enhancing educational opportunities for Rohingya refugee children.
Prof Yunus received the King Charles III Harmony Award at St James’s Palace, acknowledging his efforts in promoting harmonious coexistence and contributing to positive changes in marginalized communities. On the same day, Catherine West, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific, and Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, met with him.
Earlier, on June 11, the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, met with Prof Yunus at the British Parliament. The Chief Adviser also spoke at an event at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in Chatham House and met UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell.
On June 10, Airbus Executive Vice President Wouter van Wersch and Menzies Aviation Executive Vice President Charles Wyley expressed interest in building a long-term partnership with Bangladesh. Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also met Prof Yunus to discuss supporting Bangladesh in political reforms ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Prof Yunus arrived in London on June 10 for his four-day visit and is expected to return home on Saturday morning.