Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said they are determined to build a Bangladesh where people are the true source of power and the nation will be recognised across the world as a beacon of humanity and benevolence. Prof Yunus also assured the freedom fighters, martyrs, martyred and injured students and others who joined the student-led revolution that the government would strive to build a prosperous future, using the sacrifices made by students and the common people as a foundation for a new Bangladesh. Marking the Armed Forces Day, the Armed Forces Division arranged the event in Dhaka Cantonment to accord reception to gallantry award winning freedom fighters and their inheritors. The Chief Adviser emphasised the importance of global collaboration to address the climate crisis, foster peace, and strengthen the global economy, while upholding friendly relations with all nations. “We will maintain friendships with all countries, built on mutual respect, trust, and cooperation. These principles will be the foundation of our foreign policy. It is crucial that we work together to combat the climate crisis and fortify global peace and economic stability,” he said. US team to reach Dhaka on Friday to discuss economic support and stability The Chief Adviser stressed the need for Bangladesh to move forward in tandem with global developments. "We must ensure that our young society, despite resource limitations, can contribute to nation-building by fostering creativity based on merit," he added. Reflecting on the contributions of the armed forces during the Great Liberation War, Prof Yunus recalled that on this day in 1971, the courageous members of the armed forces, together with the people of Bangladesh, launched a coordinated fight against the Pakistani occupation forces. “This marked the turning point in the struggle, leading to the victory that established Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign nation,” he said. It's in US' interest to see reforms succeed in Bangladesh: IRI regional chief Prof Yunus also honored the sacrifices of the nation's martyrs. “Today, I pay my deepest respects to all the brave souls who gave their lives in the War of Independence and pray for the forgiveness of their departed spirits,” he said. The Chief Adviser expressed his respect for the families of the freedom fighters and the war-wounded veterans present at the ceremony. On the recent student-led revolution, Prof Yunus said that a "new Bangladesh" was achieved on August 5, 2024, through the efforts of students and ordinary citizens. “Our responsibility now is to unite the people into one larger family,” he said. “Differences in opinion are natural, but we must never consider each other enemies due to those differences, be it ideological or religious.” He said that Bangladesh’s future should be one where all citizens are equal. "No one is above or below anyone else in the national life,” Prof Yunus said, reiterating the government’s commitment to fulfilling the dreams of the freedom fighters who envisioned a welfare state free from discrimination and exploitation. He wished peace, happiness, and prosperity for the people of Bangladesh, particularly the valiant freedom fighters and their families.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday sought Indonesia’s support for Bangladesh’s membership in ASEAN and also urged the Southeast Asian country to create more opportunities for Bangladeshi businesses. The Chief Adviser made the call when the Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Heru Hartanto Subolo, paid him a farewell visit at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. “I hope Indonesia will help us get the membership of ASEAN. This is very important for us,” Prof Yunus told the ambassador. The Chief Adviser said that he also discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the latter’s recent visit to Bangladesh, as the country is set to assume the chair of ASEAN in January. Ambassador Subolo conveyed his country’s support for Bangladesh’s Interim Government and said that Indonesia would closely follow Bangladesh’s application to become an ASEAN member. Bangladesh's success under Prof Yunus is in India's best interest: American-Indian businessman Khosla “Indonesia stands ready to support Bangladesh in all possible ways. Hopefully it will be beneficial for both countries,” he said. The Chief Adviser recalled his multiple visits to Indonesia to promote microcredit and said that from his experience he found very thin presence of Bangladeshi businesses in Indonesia. “One thing is regrettable that there are not many Bangladeshis in Indonesia. They are everywhere but not in Indonesia,” said the Chief Adviser. “Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. But people of the country are not much aware of Bangladesh. Somehow we are not interacting much,” he noted. “We must find a way to bring us closer,” he said. He also urged Indonesia to enroll more Bangladeshi students in their universities, hire more Bangladeshi doctors, and import pharmaceutical items from Bangladesh. Ambassador Subolo promised to work on increasing business cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia. He expressed satisfaction with the signing of the MoU between Pertamina Power Indonesia and Coal Generation Company Bangladesh Limited concerning the Solar PV investment project in Matarbari and other areas in July 2024. The Chief Adviser congratulated new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on assuming office and invited him to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus congratulated the Bangladesh national women's football team for clinching the title of the SAFF championship in Nepal on Wednesday. "Great achievement of our women football team," he said in a statement. "I am proud of you. The whole nation is proud of you. Congratulations to all the players who brought us this glory," Prof Yunus said. Bangladesh clinches second consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship with 2-1 win over Nepal Bangladesh's women's football team made history Wednesday, securing their second consecutive South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship title with a 2-1 victory over host nation Nepal at Kathmandu’s Dashrath Rangasala Stadium. In a repeat of their 2022 triumph, Bangladesh once again defeated Nepal in the final, cementing their unbeaten streak in the seven-nation tournament.

A medical team has been formed for the treatment of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus 'as a routine matter', and everyone has been requested not to spread any rumours stemming from this development. The chief adviser's press wing shared this update in a message late on Tuesday night, after rumours started circulating regarding Prof Yunus's health. Read: Khaleda’s scheduled hospital visit for check-up postponed "This is a routine matter. Such medical teams are regularly formed for the treatment of heads of state and government," the message quoted Prof Md Sayedur Rahman, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, as saying. Yunus, 84, underwent a minor medical procedure to remove a skin lesion at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka last week

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is set to meet leaders of several political parties on Saturday as part of an ongoing dialogue. Fifteen political parties, including Gono Forum, Liberal Democrats Party (LDP), and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Andaleeve), are among those likely to join Saturday's dialogue, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Chief Adviser to hold dialogue with political parties tomorrow This is going to be the second such dialogue in the current phase, which started on October 5 with the participation of BNP, Jamaat, CPB, and some other parties. The key purpose of the dialogue is to inform the political parties about the progress of the reform work and to seek their suggestions.    

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday visited Dhaka University campus to see the graffiti drawn by young revolutionaries during the student-led mass uprising in July and August. Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud, among others, were present during the visit. In previous occasions, Prof Yunus spoke about the historic significance of the graffiti, which depicted emotions, hope, and aspirations of the students and youth who participated in the protests. Prof Yunus seeks increased Turkish investment as Dhaka ready for business Dhaka became the Graffiti capital after young painters turned its walls into powerful canvases. They wrote slogans and poetry to deliver powerful messages. The messages reflect the spirit of the revolution and the aspirations for a discrimination-free Bangladesh.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Saturday urged the country’s people to work together to create an environment where any religious community can celebrate their festivals smoothly without the need for protection from law enforcement agencies. He, however, thanked the law enforcement agencies, including the police and army, for their sincere efforts in ensuring a successful and joyous celebration of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community. The Chief Adviser made the remarks while addressing a programme at Dhakeshwari National Temple. He visited the temple in Old Dhaka and exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community on the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja. “We have created a scope for you to celebrate the puja festival with the support of the law enforcement agencies. We’ll all work together so that we do not need to do it (celebration of puja with the protection of law enforcers) anymore in the future,” Dr Yunus told the devotees. He said the government and all stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, made sincere efforts to ensure a smooth celebration of Durga Puja without any untoward incidents. The Chief Adviser said all state forces, including the police, army, RAB, and Ansar, flawlessly discharged their duties despite various challenges. “It’s a tough task, but they executed it impeccably. They demonstrated that success can be achieved when everyone works together in unity. I thank them for carrying out such a tough duty during the holidays.” He also said, “We remind ourselves that arranging our joyous festivals with the help of the army, police and RAB is our failure. It’s not normal. We’re accepting this failure for now. This is our failure that we couldn’t build society in a way where a section of society can celebrate its festivals joyfully with all.” Dr Yunus said the nation does not want a society where people must celebrate their festivals with the assistance of law enforcers. “A segment of society should be able to celebrate its festivals alongside everyone else, with support from others. That’s how it should be. But we haven’t achieved that.” In this reality, he noted that students, along with the masses and workers, initiated a revolution, sacrificing their lives with the dream of building a new Bangladesh and creating opportunities for all. Dr Yunus exchanges greetings with Hindu community at Dhakeswari Temple “We want to materialise this dream. We don’t want it to remain in just words... We aim to build a Bangladesh where all our citizens can enjoy equal rights,” said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Yunus. The Chief Adviser said a wave of festivity has swept across the country on the occasion of Durga Puja, coinciding with the opportunity for citizens to enjoy four consecutive days of holidays. He said not only the Sanatan practitioners but everyone has been celebrating the occasion with joy and enthusiasm. Regarding the formation of six commissions to implement state reforms, Dr Yunus said these reforms are essential to eliminate all the elements that people find objectionable. “This will ensure that your sons and daughters can move freely, express their opinions, and participate in any event with full rights.” He said the current government is committed to building a Bangladesh where everyone, irrespective of their caste or creed, can enjoy equal rights, security, and the confidence to move freely across the country. “This will empower them to pursue their dreams and actively work towards realising those aspirations.” “It’s possible to build that Bangladesh. It may seem like we’re discussing an imaginary Bangladesh, and indeed it feels like a matter of imagination since it doesn’t practically exist. However, it is possible to turn this dream into reality. The student-led mass upsurge has created this possibility,” Dr Yunus said.  He said it is not possible to build a new Bangladesh merely by talking without purpose as in the past. “We need to break free from this futile habit. We must identify the new elements needed for a new Bangladesh and work to establish them.” The Chief Adviser noted that while they have established some commissions for reforms, these commissions alone will not be sufficient to bring about change in the country. He said the commissions have been established to consolidate the nation's dreams into a single vision. “We’re now filled with great dreams following the student-led revolution. These dreams need a clear outline, as we are stating our intentions to amend the constitution, reform the Election Commission and the electoral system, among other things,” Dr Yunus said. Through the revolution, he said, the nation emerged from a society where all rights were concentrated in the hands of a small group, leaving the majority deprived of their rights. The Chief Adviser said everyone’s rights must be established by the state to ensure that no one is deprived of their rights and justice again. “Those who will snatch these rights must face punishment. This was the dream of the revolution. To bring this dream into a structured framework, the commissions have been formed. They will consult with all stakeholders and provide us with an outline within three months.” Dr Yunus urged everyone not to miss the opportunity to build their envisioned Bangladesh. “A great chance has arisen to reform or change this country. Don’t let it slip away. If this opportunity is lost, we may never be able to reform the state. The students and the people have given us a lamp of Alauddin (a magic lamp) in our hands. We can do whatever we desire,” he said. He also urged the people not to limit themselves to small dreams but to aspire for a bigger vision. “Be prepared to build a truly new Bangladesh and support it (reform efforts), and declare loudly that we want it (new Bangladesh),” he said.     

The claim, spread from Tuesday evening using old videos, alleging that army personnel were crowding or causing disorder in front of the Chief Adviser’s residence, state guesthouse Jamuna, has been found to be untrue and misleading. Rumour Scanner, an independent Bangladeshi fact-checking website that debunks fake news, myths and misinformation, came up with the observation. “We can see in the search that one of the videos shows the old incident of visa seekers in front of the Italian Embassy on September 9. Besides, we have identified some other old videos circulating,” said Rumour Scanner’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Zawad Bin Hafiz, while speaking to UNB. Read: Bangladesh Army recognised as symbol of trust again: Prof Yunus Later, when the claims regarding a supposed meeting at Jamuna and a 24-hour ultimatum started being posted continuously from several IDs, Hafiz mentioned that they did not find any truth to the information they investigated. Also, based on the comments of the concerned parties, it was confirmed that the matter is indeed fake. “Our team will publish a detailed report about the whole incident soon,” he added. The Chief Adviser’s press wing also dismissed the claims. “It’s absolutely a rumour. Everything is fine,” said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir, trashing the allegations that have been widely shared on social media. Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander Vikentyevich Mantytskiy, met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday at his Tejgaon office. Read more: Foolproof security measures taken for Durga Puja: Army Chief Adviser Asif Mahmud, from his verified Facebook account, also shared a fun post on Wednesday morning. The post reads, "Not only the chair, the chief adviser and other advisers also left the country. Source: Chalaiden."