Biden extends 'full support' to Dr. Yunus

President of the United States Joe Biden extended his government's full support to Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus and his government as they met Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The head of interim government of Bangladesh apprised the US president of how the students rose against the "tyranny" of the previous government and sacrificed their lives to create this opportunity of rebuilding Bangladesh.

As he stressed that his government must succeed in rebuilding the country and would need US cooperation, President Biden assured of his administration's full support.

The maiden meeting between them after the August-5th changeover in Bangladesh started at 11am New York time in the UN building.

And it happens to be the first meeting of a US President with any head of government of Bangladesh in the last two decades.

A UNB report from New York said the Chief Adviser's meeting with the US President is seen as a "rare occasion" that will help in taking the existing good relations between the two countries to a new high.

"This is an important day. It is very rare (to see such a meeting) at the UNGA," said the Chief Adviser's Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam.

Alam notes that Bangladesh in any case maintains very good relations with the US and with this meeting the relationship will reach a new level.

"It's good news that the US stands beside Bangladesh in this period of transition," he adds.

Bangladesh and the US are working on a number of issues closely, including labour-sector reforms and the Rohingya crisis.

"It is very significant as no US president has held a bilateral meeting with any Bangladesh head of government in the past decades in New York," a senior official said.

Although that gives them little time to discuss anything in-depth, there is tremendous messaging and symbolism associated with it. By having this meeting at all, Washington is signaling not just bilaterally or regionally, but to the world at large, that it is standing by Bangladesh during the period of upheaval it is going through.

It is not usual for a US President to hold bilateral meetings during the UNGA and Dhaka hopes to see a new strategic partnership emerge out of this meeting that will strengthen the ties with the US on all fronts. Professor Yunus handed a copy of the The Art of Triumph, a book on wall paintings drawn by the young students during the revolution, to President Biden during the meeting.

Biden is visiting New York City to participate in the 79th session of the UNGA.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday joined a welcome reception with heads of delegation representing various countries at the UN General Assembly hosted by Secretary General António Guterres at the UN headquarters.

World leaders gathered to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations".

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Prof Yunus handed over the Art of Triumph, an art book on the wall paintings of the Bangladeshi students and young people painted during and just after the revolution, to Justin Trudeau.

President of Mauritius Prithvirajsingh Roopun, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk and World Bank President Ajay Banga, among others, exchanged greetings with Prof Yunus at the UN headquarters.

Professor Muhammad Yunus will have a meeting with the United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres here on September 26.

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