Challenges and Priorities for Dr. Yunus's Interim Government"

The interim government, under the prudent leadership of microcredit boss Dr. Yunus (head of the interim government), is going through a highly critical path in restoring stability—politically, economically and regionally. The downfall of Sheikh Hasina's regime has left Bangladesh in turmoil with reports of human rights violations— violence, killing, hijacking things, looting, attacks on minorities, and economic instability, including higher inflation. The key challenges and priorities area are: at the very beginning, restoring law and order, rebuilding democratic institutions that were undermined, and addressing pervasive corruption—particularly in the banking sector—are of utmost importance; in addition, reviving a fragile economy is increasingly essential, plagued by high inflation, driven by a foreign exchange crisis that has led to rising prices of all goods; furthermore, the government must keep an eye on the rights of minority groups, including Hindus, Christians, and tribal communities. These groups have already been attacked in many places across the country, which is unacceptable.

What is more, the government needs to build or continue solid and mutually beneficial relationships with regional neighbors like India (the key country for Bangladesh) and Myanmar, as well as with international actors such as the USA—which purchase the optimum amount of RMG products, China from where Bangladesh buy the highest volume of goods, Russia, and European countries.

Simultaneously, the government must focus on organizing democratic elections and institutions and addressing human rights violations by following UDHR 1948. The interim government ought to collaborate with a broad spectrum of stakeholders—ranging from student organizations to national and international experts across various fields.

Writer,

Md. Abdullah-Al-Mamun

Researcher: International Relations, Public Policy