The first half of April has been a busy and productive time for Bangladesh diplomatically, economically, and culturally. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, and the two leaders had, by most accounts, a productive and collegial meeting. Beyond the substantive issues, PM Modi, according to the Chief Adviser’s press secretary, said that even though Sheikh Hasina disrespected Professor Yunus, Modi always respected and honored him.
Now that the ice has been broken between the two leaders, their top diplomats will work on further improving bilateral relations. It is noteworthy that coming into this meeting, Indo-Bangladesh relations had already been improving.
Following the diplomatic achievement in Bangkok came a successful Bangladesh Investors Summit in Dhaka that was attended by more than 400 business leaders from more than 50 countries around the world, including representatives of Meta, Visa, Chevron, Uber, MetLife, Mastercard, Boeing, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council. For a flavor of the gathering, check out this introductory speech by Ashik Chowdhury, the head of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority.
Clearly, global companies are not waiting for the next election to take a hard look at investing in Bangladesh. Perhaps this bullishness is contributing to a surge in remittances from Bangladeshis abroad; indeed, February 2025 was the fourth-highest month for remittances in the country’s history. This confluence of positive signs led the Business Standard to explain to its readers why Bangladesh is such an attractive place to invest right now.
On April 16, Time magazine named Professor Yunus one of the 100 most influential people in the world, an important honor for the interim head of the world’s eighth most populous nation. Time’s decision prompted another article about Professor Yunus as an effective South Asian leader and role model. We also recommend this article from an Indian journalist based in Assam titled “Professor Yunus Envisions a Discrimination-Free Bangladesh on the New Year.”
The Eid holiday was observed joyfully in Bangladesh, and it was reported that government action ensured that prices for most foods and transportation did not skyrocket as they had in the past. The celebration of the Bengali New Year on April 14 passed without any violence and with all of the cultural flair one associates with this holiday.
On April 8, Friends of Bangladesh hosted our second webinar, which can be viewed on Facebook. Sabrina Quaraishi, a Bangladeshi-American leader who leads Grameen Foundation‘s Bankers Without Borders program, interviewed a retired diplomat, a journalist, and an award-winning filmmaker. Each had recently returned from visiting Bangladesh.
The July Shaheed Smrity Foundation (JSSF) has expended nearly all of the seed funds provided by the government in its vital work to assist the families of those killed in the people’s uprising last July/August, and to help those who survived but were badly injured. Now, through a partnership with Transnational Giving Europe, tax deductible donations can be made to JSSF in the UK, Germany, and Belgium. This tax-deductible option is also available for donors in the United States and Australia. For a summary of all the ways to give from any country in the world, visit this page.
