Dhaka: The Open Society Foundations’ leadership today met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to discuss Bangladesh’s efforts to rebuild the economy, trace siphoned-off assets, combat misinformation, and carry out vital economic reforms. A delegation of the Open Society Foundations headed by its chair Alex Soros and president Binaifer Nowrojee, called on Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and expressed support for reforms undertaken by the Interim Government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, during the meeting, Alex Soros commended Prof Yunus for leading the country at a critical time in its history and shepherding reforms needed to fix the country’s institutions and rebuild the economy. He noted that the student-led mass uprising has provided “great opportunities” to set a new course for the country. The discussions covered a range of issues including the July uprising, transitional justice for the victims of struggle, economic reforms, media freedom, recovery of stolen assets, new cybersecurity laws, and the Rohingya crisis.
Alex Soros indicated that the Foundation would explore ways to support Bangladesh’s efforts in these areas. Prof Yunus expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s support and urged it to further disseminate news about the unprecedented student-led uprising that ended a brutal dictatorship. He highlighted the widespread disinformation surrounding the event, as observed during his visit to Davos.
The Chief Adviser also requested the Foundation’s assistance in “asset tracing” to recover approximately 234 billion dollars siphoned off during Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year-long rule. Prof Yunus stated that the Interim Government inherited a “devastated and war-torn” economy and sought the Foundation’s help in the rebuilding process. He mentioned that while Bangladesh media currently enjoys unprecedented freedom, misinformation and disinformation are rampant on social media.
The Foundation expressed a desire to assist Bangladesh with its crucial LDC graduation, a move welcomed by Prof Yunus. He emphasized the importance of a smooth transition, stating, “We have to think about how to do the transition without any problems.”