Global leaders have announced strong support for the new Bangladesh government, led by chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus, stressing that they stand ready to help in any way they can to support the efforts of Bangladesh and the interim government to lead the world in creating a new and better civilisation, as Yunus has repeatedly called for.
In a letter to the people of Bangladesh and 鈥榗itizens of goodwill鈥� around the world, 197 global leaders, including 92 Nobel Laureates, wished the interim government and the people of Bangladesh 鈥榩eace and success in the months and years ahead鈥�.
鈥榃e, the undersigned, are excited to publicly share our congratulations and heartfelt good wishes to nobel peace prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the new interim prime minister of聽 Bangladesh. Professor Yunus, like others in Bangladesh, has suffered under the yoke of autocracy,鈥� read the letter.
They applauded the interim government鈥檚 commitment to bring free and fair elections back to Bangladesh and its commitment to allowing democracy to flourish.聽
鈥榃e stand ready to help in any way we can to support the efforts of Bangladesh and the interim government to lead the world in creating a new and better civilisation, as professor Yunus has repeatedly called for,鈥� the letter said.
The leaders said that they had been proud to have supported professor Yunus over the years. 鈥業t is the beginning of an exciting new dawn for Bangladesh, and we wish him and the people of Bangladesh peace and success in the months and years ahead.鈥�
They further said that they were excited to see professor Yunus finally free to work for the uplift of the entire country, especially the most marginalised, a calling he had pursued with great vigour and success across six decades.
Referencing what Yunus and others have called Bangladesh鈥檚 鈥榮econd liberation鈥� the leaders, including former US president Barack Obama, businessman Richard Branson, and activist Jane Goodall, wrote, 鈥楯ust as the nation鈥檚 young people have inspired him [Yunus], we know that he will inspire them to play a leadership role in bringing a bright new future to Bangladesh. We are also confident that he will inspire millions of young people around the world, including those in the Bangladeshi diaspora, to improve society for the better.鈥�
鈥業 sincerely hope that, under Muhammad Yunus鈥檚 leadership, the people of Bangladesh will be able to enjoy freedom and that he will help Bangladesh become a free and democratic country.聽 It has been an honour to join with global leaders and people of goodwill around the world in supporting Yunus and the people of Bangladesh鈥檚 efforts to secure a flourishing democracy鈥�, former United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon, one of the letter鈥檚 signers, said.
Sam Daley-Harris, the founder of Civic Courage, urged citizens around the world to add their names to those of the global leaders.
A violent response by the then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 forces to a student-led protest resulted in the students鈥� call for her resignation and ultimately to Hasina fleeing the country on August 5.
Muhammad Yunus was then asked by the student leaders to lead the interim government. Yunus and the other advisers, including two student leaders, were sworn in by Bangladesh鈥檚 president on August 8.
In addition to the letter of support from world leaders, messages of support have poured in from sitting heads of state and government and leaders of international institutions.
鈥楤angladesh stands at a crucial juncture in its history.聽 The United Nations fully supports the effort toward an inclusive and prosperous democracy and remains committed to working with your government and to extend support, as may be requested鈥�.鈥�, UN secretary general Ant贸nio Guterres wrote to Yunus earlier.