Reforms, investment, laundered asset recovery on agenda as CA Yunus meets UK PM after Eid

Trade and investment, recovery of laundered assets, reforms, human rights, and regularisation of unregistered Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom are likely to dominate talks between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London this month.

Yunus is scheduled to pay an official visit to the UK on 10-13 June as the two countries are putting in efforts to refresh their bonds and work ever more closely on economic, trade and investment fronts.

"This is a very important visit," acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique told reporters at a media briefing at the foreign affairs ministry yesterday.

He said the chief adviser is scheduled to leave Dhaka for London on 9 June and will return home on 14 June.

During the visit, Yunus will meet King Charles and will hold bilateral talks with the British PM, in addition to his other engagements.

Asked whether there will be any meeting with BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London, the acting foreign secretary said he does not have any information regarding the meeting.

King Charles III will present the prestigious Harmony Award 2025 to Prof Yunus, nominated by the king, honouring his lifelong work to promote peace, sustainability, and harmony between people and the environment.

The award will be conferred at a formal ceremony at St James's Palace in London on 12 June. Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon was the 2024 recipient.

Yunus is also expected to meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy along with other senior ministers, political leaders, and influential figures from the policy and business communities.

Acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam said the UK is a strong democratic state and it attaches importance to establishing democratic values and good governance in developing countries.

Through this visit, it will be possible to highlight the ongoing reform activities in Bangladesh, the democratic process and the commitment of the interim government to establishing good governance, he said.

The agenda will also include discussions on global and regional issues, particularly climate change, sustainable development, the Rohingya crisis, and migration.

Emphasis will be placed on leveraging British expertise and resources to support Bangladesh's national development goals.

Yunus is also expected to hold courtesy meetings with the secretaries-general of the Commonwealth and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), highlighting Bangladesh's broader international engagements.

The chief adviser will deliver a special address at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, on 11 June, where he will share insights into Bangladesh's socio-economic progress, democratic transition, and future outlook.

The recovery of laundered money and assets abroad is likely to be an important issue to be discussed during the visit.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, while briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy on 2 June, said the chief adviser will put in his efforts for recovery of stolen money, assets abroad as he is going to London.

The interim government, which came to power in August last year, says the previous government enabled the laundering of an estimated $16 billion annually.

Yunus earlier sought support from the British government through its envoy in Dhaka to track and get back the money laundered to the UK allegedly by the people linked to the Sheikh Hasina-led previous government.

Senior officials from the Bangladesh Bank and the Anti-Corruption Commission will also accompany the chief adviser during the visit to discuss ways to repatriate the laundered money.

Since the ouster of the previous Awami League government last August, a significant number of senior and mid-level party leaders, along with civil and military bureaucrats and close associates, have taken refuge in the UK.

Sources in the Bangladesh Bank, NBR and ACC said these people laundered money worth several billion US dollars.

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, said the country witnessed between $12 billion and $15 billion syphoned out every year over the last 15 years.

Yunus is likely to seek the UK government's assistance in recovering the laundered money as well as London's support for Bangladesh's reform initiatives.

As Bangladesh pursues the UK model of democracy, Yunus is expected to also seek the UK's support for strengthening democracy in Bangladesh.

As the foreign direct investment dropped, Bangladesh suffered heavily last year. Yunus will invite UK entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh.

The UK held the top position in terms of net FDI inflows with $433 million in 2022, $528 million in 2023 and $410 million in 2024, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

As the Rohingya and a potential humanitarian corridor to Rakhine are pressing issues, Dhaka is also likely to raise the matter and seek the UK's increased involvement.

In 2024, the UK pledged an additional £12 million in humanitarian aid to support both the refugees and host communities.

Bangladesh's export to the UK recorded at $4,477 million in FY24 and $3,855 million during July-April of FY25, according to the data of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

As Bangladesh nears its graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026, its relationship with the UK has seen recalibrations, highlighting trade and investment.

Despite global economic turbulence and political changes in Bangladesh, the bilateral relationship between Dhaka and London continued to flourish across multiple sectors.