In just twelve months as Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has embarked on 12 foreign trips spanning the United States, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East.
Official figures suggest the expenses of ten of these trips, excluding the UK and Malaysia, totaled approximately BDT 2.608 billion ($26 million), covering 70 days abroad.
Yet, critics argue that the outcomes for Bangladesh are negligible. Most visits were not official state invitations but rather conferences organized by international bodies.
Government-friendly media amplified these trips as diplomatic breakthroughs, but observers say they delivered little more than photo opportunities and personal branding for Yunus.
While Japan pledged USD 1.06 billion in funding, the projects were continuations of commitments made during Sheikh Hasina’s administration, not new deals. Similarly, nine MoUs signed with China focused on literature, culture, and sports, falling short of meaningful economic cooperation.
In the Middle East, vague promises of investment emerged from Qatar and the UAE, but tangible results remain absent. Meanwhile, in the United States, Yunus’ appearance at the UN General Assembly and a photo-op with then-President Joe Biden yielded no substantive agreements.
The London trip in June stirred controversy amid speculation that Yunus’ real agenda was a meeting with exiled BNP leader Tarique Rahman, a move seen as politically motivated rather than nationally beneficial.
Analysts stress that pressing issues—such as India-Bangladesh border disputes, the Rohingya crisis, and unresolved Teesta-Ganges water-sharing—were ignored throughout these visits.
At a time when Bangladesh faces slowing remittances, mounting debt repayments, and shrinking forex reserves, critics question whether these costly trips served the nation’s interest or Dr. Yunus’ personal global profile.
