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Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Friday urged the stolen asset recipient countries to return the wealth to Bangladesh.

- He seeks permanent solutions to Rohingya crisis, enhanced funds from donors
- He calls for reviving SAARC, establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones
- He wants establishing independent Palestine state with two-state solution

‘I call upon those countries and institutions that shelter such stolen assets: do not be complicit in this crime. Return the wealth to its rightful owners - the farmers, the workers, and the ordinary taxpayers,’ he said, addressing the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, USA.

Yunus said that recovering the illicit assets stolen from Bangladesh was then one of its highest priorities. In the past fifteen years, billions of dollars were siphoned abroad through corruption. 

‘We are working tirelessly to bring this wealth back. Yet legal process in the concerned countries and different other obstacles are hurting our efforts. Without sincere political commitment from the countries concerned we will not be able to recover this asset,’ the chief adviser said.

He said that the current global financial system had failed to prevent the illicit transfer of resources from developing nations. In some cases, the very rules of international financial institutions had enabled the movement of vast sums of illegal money into tax havens around the world.

Yunus proposed the adoption and enforcement of strong international regulations to prevent the plunder of resources from developing countries and to ensure their return when stolen.

Seeking permanent solutions to the long-pending Rohingya crisis, Yunus called upon donors to come forward with enhanced contribution to forcibly displaced Rohingyas to protect them from this catastrophic situation.

He said that the ongoing conflict in Myanmar had created a situation of deep concern for the entire region. It threatened not only regional stability, but also the prospects for the safe return of the forcibly displaced Rohingya sheltered in Bangladesh.

Eight years on, the chief adviser said that the Rohingya crisis continued without any solution in sight. ‘Moreover, Bangladesh faces a slow, but a regular flow of the Rohingya people seeking protection.’

Yunus said that there had to be a political solution to the problems in Rakhine involving the ethnic stakeholders there so that the Rohingyas become part of the Rakhine society with equal rights and as equal citizens.

The chief adviser said that the World Food Programme warned of a critical funding shortfall for its emergency response.

He said that further cuts would no doubt intensify protection and security risks, transcending much beyond the camps. ‘Hence, I call upon existing donors to come forward with enhanced contribution and potential donors to make announcements of generous contribution to prevent this catastrophic situation.’

He said that the International community, beyond new and enhanced funding for humanitarian assistance, had to apply pressure on Myanmar or the non-state actor in Rakhine to bring positive changes there and to seek political solutions urgently.

Noting that Bangladesh is committed to regional cooperation based on mutual respect, transparency, and shared prosperity, Yunus stressed revitalisation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Established four decades ago, he said that SAARC achieved notable progress in its early years and laid a strong foundation for regional cooperation. Despite political deadlock, its institutional structure remained intact.

‘We believe SAARC still holds the potential to deliver welfare to the hundreds of millions in our region, just as ASEAN has done on its own. For shared development, there is no alternative to regional cooperation among neighbours. And when it comes to the use of shared natural resources, fairness and compassion must guide us,’ he added.

Through initiatives such as BIMSTEC, BBIN, the Asian Highway, and SASEC, the chief adviser said that Bangladesh was advancing regional connectivity and trade.

Yunus also called for establishing an independent State of Palestine following the two-state solution. ‘On behalf of the people of Bangladesh and of conscientious citizens across the world, I once again make a strong appeal: the two-state solution must be implemented now, through the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.’

Only on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, can justice be done, he added.

‘Nowhere is this tragedy more visible than in Gaza,’ he said, adding, ‘Children are dying of hunger and civilians are being killed without distinction there.’

In Bangladesh, he said that they believed that they had to build a culture of peace, one that rests on the values of tolerance, nonviolence, dialogue, and cooperation at every level of society.

‘For more than three and a half decades, Bangladesh has stood among the leading contributors of the United Nations peacekeepers,’ he said, adding, ‘This is living proof of our enduring commitment to global peace and security.’

In his speech, the chief adviser called for the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. ‘We renew our call for the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia.’

He also called for the revival of global arms control treaties that have grown weaker with time. ‘At the same time, we affirm the right of every nation to use nuclear energy peacefully, with full transparency.’

Yunus stressed making the ‘Loss and Damage Fund’ fully operational to save the future generation from the adverse impacts of climate change. ‘For the sake of our children’s future, we must act now. The Loss and Damage Fund must be made fully operational.’