Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, has issued a formal letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, raising serious concerns over claims that the UN has pressured the country’s unelected interim government into controversial security and humanitarian decisions without constitutional or democratic legitimacy.In the letter dated June 10, Dr. Momen criticizes the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, which reportedly attributed the establishment of a so-called “Humanitarian Corridor” in Bangladesh to direct pressure from the UN Secretary-General. The decision has drawn strong objections from major political stakeholders and the country’s military, who argue that such moves should be authorized only by an elected government.Dr. Momen specifically calls out Yunus’s Press Secretary, Mr. Shafiqul Alam, and National Security Adviser, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, for repeatedly asserting that the initiative was undertaken at the UN’s insistence. “Is there any truth to this claim?” the former foreign minister asks in his letter, urging António Guterres to personally clarify the UN’s official stance.The letter further alleges that the United Nations has encouraged the interim regime to permit foreign-backed command and communication infrastructure on Bangladesh’s strategically sensitive St. Martin’s Island. If accurate, Dr. Momen warns, such developments would pose a “direct threat to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and regional stability.”Adding to the tension, Dr. Momen references recent remarks allegedly made by Ms. Lewis Guyen, the UN Country Representative in Dhaka, in which she reportedly suggested that a national election could be considered valid even without the participation of the Awami League—the country’s largest political party. Momen has called on Guterres to disavow or clarify these controversial remarks, asking whether they reflect the official position of the UN.The letter also paints a grim picture of the country’s human rights situation under the interim regime, citing:Over 360,000 arrests within the last ten months;Severe overcrowding in prisons designed for only 42,000 inmates;Reports of 18,000 fabricated murder cases filed to extort opposition members;World Bank projections that three million additional people have been pushed into poverty.Dr. Momen concludes his appeal with four specific demands:1. Clear clarification on the UN’s position regarding the Humanitarian Corridor and St. Martin’s Island;2. Disassociation from unconstitutional activities by the interim regime;3. Launch of an independent human rights and rule-of-law fact-finding mission;4. Reaffirmation of the UN’s commitment to inclusive elections involving all major parties.“The people of Bangladesh look to the United Nations as a guardian of justice and democracy,” Momen writes. “We trust that your leadership will help prevent further deterioration of governance and human rights in our country.”As international scrutiny over Bangladesh’s political transition grows, the UN’s response—or silence—may significantly shape the legitimacy and future trajectory of the interim administration.
