Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday expressed his deep condolences at the death of Zakaria Pintoo, the captain of Swadhin Bangla Football Dal. In a message, the Chief Adviser said he was shocked and saddened to learn that Zakaria Pintoo, a freedom fighter and the captain of historic Swadhin Bangla Football Dal, died on Monday morning. “As the leader of that legendary team, he toured India to raise money and crucial support for our wartime government in exile. When he was not playing, he would be cheering for our freedom fighters and emerge as a face of our liberation struggle,” said Prof Yunus. Nothing negative suddenly emerging as Trump is President: Prof Yunus After the war of independence, Zakaria Pintoo became the country’s first national team captain. He was a legendary central back and a true defender of the Green and Red national colours. “When he ended his two decade-long playing career, he played a crucial role in organising sports. He was an out-and-out sportsman till his death,” Prof Yunus said. The Chief Adviser prayed for the departed soul. “My condolences to his bereaved family and the sports fraternity—to whom Zakaria Pintoo was a true legend," he said.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said he does not see any negative thing emerging suddenly because Donald Trump (President-elect) is President of the United States, stressing that he does not have any problem with Trump in a personal way. “I think foreign policy of the United States is not something that switches back and forth depending on who is the President,” he said while responding to a question during an interview with Qatar-based media Al Jazeera, adding that there is a stable part of that policy. Prof Yunus said he has no problem as far as the Republican Party or Democratic Party is concerned, or even Trump is concerned. Trump names fossil fuel executive Chris Wright as energy secretary The chief adviser said he had no interaction with President Trump in the past and he has friends in both the parties.   Donald Trump will officially become the 47th President of the United States at a ceremony called the inauguration. The inauguration day will take place on January 20, 2025 and it is the day Donald Trump moves into the White House. Until then President Joe Biden remains in the top job. It will be the second time that Trump is going to take up the role - after previously having served as president between 2017 and 2021. Before the US election, Trump condemned the "barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh.” “It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own Southern Border, but we will Make America Strong Again and bring back Peace through Strength!” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Responding to a question by an Al Jazeera journalist on this, Prof Yunus said this is mostly propaganda – totally baseless propaganda. “It’s unfortunate.” He said most of the propaganda originates from the Indian side for whatever reason it may be – to keep the tensions alive, probably.  Majority Whip Durbin expresses support for Dr. Yunus at US Senate “But in reality, it does not exist,” said Prof Yunus, adding that violence started during the period of revolution not because they are Hindus or other religions but because mostly they were Awami Leaguers. “Most of the Hindus happened to be Awami Leaguers.” In his televised speech on Sunday evening, the chief adviser said the minorities were subjected to violence in some cases but it was ‘completely exaggerated’. “When we took over the charge, Bangladesh was a completely unguarded country. At that time, there was an attempt to spread unnecessary panic among religious minorities,” he said. The chief adviser said the main reason for the few incidents of violence that occurred was political.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West, who arrived here on Saturday, said the people of Bangladesh deserve a pathway to a "peaceful future and accountability" after a turbulent few months. "I am here to discuss how the UK can best support the work of the interim government to stabilise its economy and move towards a peaceful and democratic future," she said. UK backs Bangladesh’s democratic recovery; Minister Catherine West to meet Chief Adviser Yunus The UK Minister will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday, marking the first UK ministerial visit to the country since the formation of the interim government. She will discuss her country's ongoing support for political and economic reforms, security, trade cooperation and UK-Bangladesh migration. The British Minister said Bangladesh and the UK share a unique and historic partnership, cemented by people-to-people ties and shared commonwealth values. The visit also includes meetings with political and business leaders and civil society. Minister Catherine West said, "The UK supports the interim government’s work to build a more prosperous and democratic future for the Bangladeshi people." She will announce new UK funding to support Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities which host them with essential services and assistance. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said, "I am delighted to welcome UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West to Bangladesh." This visit will deepen and broaden the UK’s economic and security partnership with Bangladesh, said the High Commissioner. “Bangladesh is currently undergoing a transformation, and as a longstanding friend, the UK will assist in the economic and political reforms which will help Bangladesh continue its social and economic growth as it moves towards an inclusive and democratic future.” Protests over the summer saw the shocking loss of lives and injuries. The UK’s support following this has included the deployment of a specialised medical team to care for some of those more critically wounded during protests over the summer. Rohingya refugees and the communities which host them in Bangladesh will receive essential assistance and services through new UK funding. Bangladeshis affected by natural disasters this year will also receive UK funded assistance.Since the establishment of the interim government in August 2024, the UK has been clear in its support for interim government’s work on accountability and creating a pathway to an inclusive democratic future for Bangladesh. The UK Minister will meet with student leaders and political parties to discuss the UK's support for Bangladesh's democratic recovery, and with business leaders to discuss how the UK government can continue to create strong ties and boost mutually beneficial trade and investment. The recently announced UK funding has already provided food to 200,000 Rohingya refugees for a three-month period. It will now provide further support to Rohingya refugees with clean water, hygiene and sanitation services, primary healthcare, protection services and shelter materials. It will also provide assistance to those impacted by natural disasters in Bangladesh earlier this year.

Speaking at the international geopolitical conference, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Saturday said they live in times marked by "challenges and complexities" globally and laid emphasis on working together to address those challenges. "We know that when we come together, when we work as one, we have the power to change the course of history. This convention is about exactly that—the power of unity, the strength of shared purpose," he said while delivering his inaugural speech at the international conference. Prof Yunus laid emphasis on building an economy where fruits of technology and economic growth are shared evenly by all people, not monopolised by the privileged few. "I am always a compulsive optimist. I always believe in the power of ideas, and power of imagination. If we can imagine together it becomes irresistible. Let's do it," he said. Prof Yunus calls for mobilising "intellectual, financial, youth power" for a new civilisation  

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday highlighted the importance of mobilising intellectual, financial and youth power to lay the foundation for a new civilisation—a self-preserving and self-reinforcing civilisation. "The climate crisis is intensifying. Our civilisation is at grave risk as we continue to promote self-destructive values," he said while speaking at the COP29. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev invited heads of states and governments to participate in the two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit (WLCAS). The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is taking place from November 11 to 22. Presenting the "climate catastrophe" in a different perspective, Prof Yunus said safety of the environment needs a new lifestyle which would not be imposed but it will be a choice. "Young people love that lifestyle as a choice. Each young person will grow up as a three zero person—zero net carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration, through building social businesses only, and zero unemployment by turning themselves into entrepreneurs," he said. The Nobel Peace Laureate said each person will grow up as a three zero person, and remain a three zero person all his/her life, and that will create the new civilisation. "It can be done. All we need to do is to accept a new lifestyle consistent with the safety of the planet and all who live on it. Today’s generation of youth will do the rest. They love their planet," Prof Yunus said, hoping that others will join him in this dream. "If we dream together, it will happen," he said, sharing his longstanding dream of creating a new world of three zeroes. Stressing that this perspective will take them from fixing climate destruction to stopping further carnage, Prof Yunus said the human inhabitants of this planet are the cause of the destruction of the planet. "We are doing it deliberately. We have chosen a lifestyle which works against the environment. We justify this with an economic framework which is considered as natural as the planetary system," he said. The interim government chief said that the economic framework thrives on limitless consumption. "The more you consume the more you grow. The more you grow, the more money you make," he said, adding that maximisation of profit is treated as the force of gravity which lets everything in the system play its role according to our desire. In order to survive, Prof Yunus said, the world needs to create another culture—a counter-culture which is based on a different lifestyle. "It is based on zero waste. It will limit consumption to essential needs, leaving no residual waste. This lifestyle will also be based on zero carbon. No fossil fuel. Only renewables," he said. Prof Yunus said this will be an economy based primarily on zero personal profit—social business. This business is defined as a non-dividend business addressed to solve social and environmental problems. "A vast part of social businesses will focus on protecting the environment and mankind," he said, adding that human lives will not only be protected but qualitatively enhanced through affordable healthcare and education. It will facilitate entrepreneurship for the youth. "Young people will get prepared through a new education of entrepreneurship. Education for creating” job seekers will be replaced by entrepreneurship-focused education," Prof Yunus said. The invitation to the WLCAS in the Republic of Azerbaijan during COP29 signifies the importance for world leaders to engage and enhance ambition and enable action to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and address loss and damage, to implement and transform key climate related decisions into concrete actions and credible plans to tackle climate change, said the organizers. The Summit aims to build consensus and momentum around the COP29 plan to enhance ambition and enable action and demonstrate to all stakeholders a clear political will to deliver. It will address raising ambition for mitigation and adaptation through nationally determined contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and long-term low-emission development strategies (LT-LEDS), enabling action with the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate (NCQG), and other means of implementation and support. Prof Yunus joined a closed door Climate Leaders Meeting hosted by Germany and Chile. He also joined a roundtable on "Access to Finance for Small Scale Farmers" to be co-hosted by Bangladesh and the Netherlands. The Chief Adviser arrived in Baku on Monday evening to attend the UN's biggest climate conference, COP29, which is seen as a "pivotal opportunity" to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis. Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkey Amanul Haq, among others, was present at the airport to receive the Chief Adviser upon his arrival at 5:15pm (Baku time) on Monday. Prof Yunus is leading a small delegation and will return home on November 14, a senior official at the CA's office told UNB. Global leaders and diplomats from across the world are joining the annual climate summit to discuss how to avoid increasing threats from climate change in a place that was one of the birthplaces of the oil industry.

Sharing an idea of greater electricity connectivity in the region, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday called for creating a South Asian grid to share the hydroelectricity generated by Nepal and Bhutan. "Bangladesh can easily bring hydroelectricity from Nepal as it is only 40 miles from Bangladesh. Nepalese hydroelectricity will also be cheap," Professor Yunus said, adding Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan should think of creating a South Asian grid. In a meeting with the Social Business Group on the sidelines of the climate conference in Baku, he said much of the hydroelectricity potentials of the Himalayan nations remain untapped due to a lack of electricity grids connecting Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Nepal officials have said the country has the potential to generate 40,000 megawatts of hydroelectricity, which can help lessen the reliance on fossil fuels in bigger countries such as India and Bangladesh. The Chief Adviser, who has joined the COP29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital, said Bangladesh has put the highest priority on water management to prevent floods and to make the best use of water to boost the country's economic growth. "Water is our main environmental issue. We have to do water management in a way that it supports nature," Prof Yunus said.  

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has invited Prof Muhammad Yunus to visit Turkey and assured Bangladesh of all possible help in its journey to carry out deep reforms and build a prosperous country. Prof Yunus met the Turkish President and the Turkish First Lady at the summit of the world leaders at the COP29 venue on Tuesday. Grand Imam of Al-Azhar invites Prof Yunus to deliver speech at the millennium-old institution Prof Yunus also invited them to visit Bangladesh soon. Chief Adviser Prof Yunus had a busy day at the opening day of the COP29 global climate change summit in the Azerbaijan capital Baku. The Bangladesh interim leader and 2006 Nobel Peace laureate met at least 20 top leaders of countries across the globe and heads of international agencies. The Chief Adviser also met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahiyan. He thanked the UAE president for releasing 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were imprisoned for staging protests in solidarity with the students in July. Prof Yunus met and greeted Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan; Mohamed Muizzu, the President of the Maldives; Tshering Tobgay, the Prime Minister of Bhutan; and Ramchandra Paudel, the President of Nepal. Prof Yunus has been calling for the revival of Saarc as a top platform for South Asia's eight countries. Saarc revival will be a key cornerstone of his foreign policy, he earlier said. Among others, he met the Prime Minister of Belgium, President of Ghana, Prime Minister of Bosnia Herzegovina, President of Rwanda, Prime Minister of Albania, President of Montenegro, Prime Minister of Barbados, Vice Presidents of Brazil and Iran, President of FiFA, and Director General of IOM.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday laid emphasis on creating confidence to achieve a greater goal as he joined the centennial celebration of the Bose-Einstein Statistics in the city. "We must create confidence in the minds of our youths that we are the world. Today, we are celebrating the centenary of that aspiration," he said. Prof Yunus spoke at the inaugural ceremony of the 'Centennial Celebration of the Bose-Einstein Statistics: A legacy of Dhaka’ in the city. The Dhaka University Physics Department and Bose Center for Advanced Study and Research in Natural Sciences, DU are jointly organising the two-day celebration. Education Adviser Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, and former professor at SNBNCBS, Kolkata, Partha Ghose, also spoke at the programme. The Chief Adviser said the way the environment for Bose's invention was developed in 1924 it will continue to develop in the same way today. "There is no alternative to it. I invite everyone in the world of science to do so." Prof Yunus said their interim government, the outcome of the revolution, is ready to make all the necessary reforms and make every effort to create a suitable environment for it. He said demands and suggestions must come from everyone dedicated to this work. "We can do this if we have confidence in ourselves - as Base had this confidence, he could write to Einstein despite being a complete stranger," Prof Yunus said. Read: Dr Yunus calls for unity to ensure safe festival celebrations for all religions "We must always create confidence in our minds so that we do not have to go to the world, but the world comes to us," he mentioned. Prof Yunus said that the quiet little town and green Ramna cannot be brought back, but they can definitely bring back that glorious Dhaka University. "When I was a student at Dhaka University in the late 1950s, Bose's Dhaka was more similar to Dhaka then than to Dhaka today. So I can imagine the atmosphere of Dhaka and Dhaka University," he said. Prof Yunus said they want to emphasise this on the centenary of the Bose-Einstein theory that today, through the revolution, the student-teacher community has regained their freedom of thought and the practice of free intellect. "To this must now be added the ability to contribute to the world of science. That is achieved through daily study and research while keeping aspirations high," he said.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has asked every player of the SAFF-winning Bangladesh women's football team to write down their individual aspirations, struggles, and demands and share those with his office. "Do not hesitate to write whatever you wish. We will try to fulfil your demands. If anything can be addressed now, we will do it now," Prof Yunus said. Members of the SAFF-winning Bangladesh women's football team shared their dreams and the daily struggles they face with Dr Yunus when they met him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Saturday. The Chief Adviser carefully listened to the demands of the victorious players and promised to address them on a priority basis as he accorded a reception to the heroes following their 2-1 win over Nepal in the final of the seventh SAFF Women’s Championship in Kathmandu on October 30. "I congratulate you on behalf of the whole nation on achieving this success. The nation is grateful to you. The people of our country want success. You have brought us the success," the Chief Adviser told the players in his opening remarks. Majority Whip Durbin expresses support for Dr. Yunus at US Senate Captain Sabina Khatun thanked the Chief Adviser for hosting them and said that they felt honoured to be able to join the reception. "We have come to this stage by overcoming a lot of barriers. It is not just the women's football team, but women in general in Bangladesh face many struggles," she said. Sabina, who started her football career in 2009, also recalled the contribution of her previous generation for showing the courage of taking football as their passion.  

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has conveyed to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus that the independent UN fact-finding mission, which is investigating atrocities committed during the July-August mass uprising, would hopefully finalise its report by the first week of December. He called on the Chief Adviser at his office at Tejgaon in Dhaka on Wednesday and briefed him (Chief Adviser) about the work of the UN fact-finding mission and his meetings in Dhaka with advisers, the Chief of Army Staff, heads of Reform Commissions, students, and officials. Briefing the reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the UN team is doing their work independently and they have no influence over that. Alam also said that the fact-finding mission will hand over the report to the chief adviser, and later they will also hand the report over to the relevant ministries and advisers. Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder also spoke at the media briefing. The UN rights chief also discussed the work of the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh that is now investigating heinous crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the revolution and Reform Commissions set up by the Interim Government to conduct meaningful reforms of the country's institutions. Volker Türk @DU: 'No repetition, no going back. You must draw a clear line in the stand' "There are so many that need to be fixed," he said, adding that he has also spoken to the members of the Inquiry Commission investigating hundreds of cases of enforced disappearances that occurred during the dictatorship.