Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, UN correspondent
The United Nations has officially extended its support to the newly formed interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, following the ouster of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina amid widespread protests from students and the general populace.
“The door of the President of the General Assembly (PGA), Dennis Francis, is open for the new interim government of Bangladesh, and he remains committed to working with Bangladesh,” said Monica Grayley, spokesperson for the PGA. Grayley made the statement in response to a question from UN correspondent Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, who inquired about the PGA’s stance on the interim government led by Dr. Yunus, whom the UN regards as a valuable partner.
The briefing, held on Thursday at the UN headquarters in New York, was part of the lead-up to the Summit of the Future, scheduled for 22-23 September in the General Assembly hall.
Later, during the noon briefing moderated by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Ansarey raised a query regarding the Secretary-General’s view on the upcoming UN fact-finding mission to Bangladesh. The mission is set to investigate atrocities and killings resulting from former dictator Sheikh Hasina’s shoot-on-sight order earlier this month.
“We’ll have to see what the group’s work will entail,” Haq responded.
Later, in an emailed response to Ansarey, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General provided additional details, revealing that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Dr. Muhammad Yunus had discussed a broad range of support the UN could offer the interim government, focusing on accountability issues during the transition.
“A team will visit Dhaka next week to discuss areas of support and the modalities for investigating human rights violations amid the recent violence and unrest,” Haq said. “The High Commissioner is deeply committed to supporting the interim government and the people of Bangladesh in ensuring a smooth transition that enhances the protection of human rights.”
Ansarey also pressed Haq on whether the UN Secretary-General would engage more closely with Bangladesh to ensure the country’s stability, given that the interim government is led by Dr. Yunus, a figure the UN considers a partner. Ansarey further noted that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been spreading misinformation and inciting violence from India.
In response, Haq stated, “Regarding support for Bangladesh, I can certainly confirm that we remain ready to assist the government and people of Bangladesh as needed.”
MR/
