Disclosure of unconfirmed Yunus-Starmer meeting shows ‘diplomatic imprudence’: Analysts

Political and diplomatic analysts have slammed the handling of the proposed meeting between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, calling its premature disclosure "unnecessary" and "a diplomatic imprudence".

"We need to know clearly what exactly happened first. I wouldn't call it a diplomatic debacle, but it certainly reflects diplomatic imprudence," Altaf Parvez, a columnist and geopolitical analyst, told TBS.

M Humayun Kabir, president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute and former Bangladesh ambassador to the USA, said, "There was no need to raise unnecessary diplomatic hype by talking about the meeting in advance. I don't think the arrangement was very appropriate here."

Md Obaidul Haque, an associate professor of International Relations at Dhaka University, said, "There was interest from Bangladesh's side regarding the meeting, and it would certainly have been positive if it had taken place."

Although a meeting between Yunus and Starmer was expected, UK media on Wednesday reported that Starmer declined the request, and CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also confirmed it couldn't be secured, sparking public criticism.

Ahead of this visit, acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique told reporters on 4 June, "There is a possibility of a bilateral meeting with the UK prime minister Keir Starmer."

Yunus is currently on a four-day visit to the UK, which began on 10 June. He was nominated by King Charles III for this year's prestigious King Charles III Harmony Award. He is also expected to hold discussions with UK authorities regarding the repatriation of assets laundered from Bangladesh.

M Humayun Kabir said, "I am not sure about the nature of this visit. If it had been an invitation from the UK PM, then there would have been a meeting. Since it is being said there will be no meeting, it means this is not an invitation at the Prime Minister's level.

"It would have been better if the meeting with the UK PM had taken place; otherwise, it will look bad."

Humayun Kabir said, "Mentioning the possibility of such a high-level meeting creates public expectations. If expectations are not met, then it can also create a negative perception among the public."

The diplomat continued, "You [Yunus] are going to recover laundered money – although this sounds good from our side, it is not the same for the host. The host's sensitivity should be kept in mind. When we handle many things internationally, not everything is said publicly. If this comes out in the international media, it can cause discomfort for the host country. I believe something like this has happened.

"These are matters of legal procedure. These issues are not always resolved through discussions. Both parties work on this through institutional frameworks and legal processes. Talking too much often creates problems. They are cooperating, and the fact that meetings have not taken place does not mean they will not cooperate."

'A major embarrassment'

Altaf Parvez told TBS, "This is a major embarrassment for the entire country. It should be examined whether our foreign ministry handled the matter properly. If the UK government had confirmed the meeting, but it was later cancelled by us [foreign ministry], then that should now be clearly communicated to everyone."

"Because this is a matter of national dignity. Since he [Yunus] is now the head of government for Bangladesh, if the UK had promised a meeting and later cancelled it, then that brings Bangladesh's dignity into question," he said.

Meeting uncertain yet

Akbar Hossain, press minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in the UK, told TBS today, "Even before the visit began, the Bangladesh Embassy in London had been coordinating the matter of a meeting between the chief adviser and the British prime minister. The UK side has not yet officially said that the meeting will not take place."

When asked about the Financial Times report, he told TBS, "We don't know where they got that information from, because the UK side has not formally informed us of anything on this matter yet."

When asked whether there was still any possibility of the meeting taking place by Friday, he said, "It cannot be said at this point."

'CA's visit not a failure'

Md Obaidul Haque said, "The visit cannot be called a failure if the meeting with the British PM does not happen. The main objective from Bangladesh's side was to bring back laundered money. We've learned that the chief adviser held meetings with several high-level UK ministers, including the National Security Adviser."

"At the same time, there are reports that assets of individuals involved in laundering have been seized. This indicates that the British government is cooperating with us and that progress is being made," he added.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain was not in the Bangladesh delegation to the UK as he is on leave due to a family visit in the USA, according to foreign ministry sources. The acting foreign secretary, Ruhul Alam Siddique, was also not a part of the CA delegation. However, Secretary (East) Nazrul Islam is with the CA delegation.

According to the foreign ministry, the chief adviser held courtesy meetings with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, several key ministers, political leaders, and heads of think tanks. 

These meetings focused on enhancing trade, investment, and economic cooperation, particularly expanding Bangladesh's market access in the UK, securing GSP Plus benefits, attracting British investment, and boosting joint ventures.

TBS sent an email on Thursday morning to the UK High Commission in Dhaka regarding the widely discussed meeting, but did not receive any reply till filing this report.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, currently in London, on Thursday said she was pleased with CA Yunus' visit to the UK.

"Fantastic to welcome Hon. Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus to the UK this week," she wrote from her verified X handle.

The High Commissioner said his (Prof Yunus's) wide-ranging programme of meetings underscored their "shared commitment to democracy, trade and investment, climate action, regional security and support to the Rohingya."

Foreign ministry spokesperson Shah Asif Rahman also did not respond to TBS's queries about the meeting.

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus arrived in London on Tuesday, beginning his four-day official visit to renew bilateral ties with the United Kingdom, with an increased focus on economic cooperation, trade and investment.