Dhaka, March 11, 2025 – Serious questions have emerged over why foreign passport holders were allowed to assume key advisory roles in Bangladesh’s interim government. Reports indicate that a secret meeting took place in Washington, D.C., in November 2023, under the auspices of a section of the U.S. State Department.
The meeting, attended by representatives from the U.S.-based human rights organization Right to Freedom, a Dhaka-based think tank, a Bangladeshi academic, an NGO head, and other key figures, was reportedly briefed by Donald Lu, then Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. Discussions were held under ‘Chatham House’ rules, ensuring confidentiality.
A major outcome of the meeting was a shift in U.S. policy, with a decision to refrain from making open statements on “free and fair elections” in Bangladesh. This came at a time when small groups of Bangladeshi university students were reportedly undergoing clandestine training facilitated by U.S. officials, possibly linked to USAID. These groups were allegedly in contact with U.S. and Pakistani handlers in cities such as Dubai and Doha between April and September 2023.
Further reports suggest that U.S. efforts to engage Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus began as early as March 2023, when a Grameen Group office order signaled leadership changes. Yunus later emerged as a key figure in the interim authority following the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Notably, several members of the interim government, including advisors, hold U.S. or U.K. passports, raising concerns about external influence on Bangladesh’s governance.
The Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating at least 15 former Awami League MPs for holding foreign passports. Meanwhile, former U.S. Ambassador to Dhaka (1990-1993) William B. Milam is reportedly in Bangladesh, meeting with Yunus, interim government officials, and student leaders involved in last year’s anti-government movement.
Security agencies have also uncovered details of an August 6, 2024, meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka—just days before Yunus assumed charge—attended by four Bangladeshis who are now serving as advisors in the interim government: Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Brigadier (retd) Shakhwat Hossain, Asit Nazrul, and Adilur Rahman.
A key figure in the new administration, Khalilur Rahman, who holds a U.S. passport, has been appointed as High Representative on Rohingya Problem and Priority Issues Affairs. He is expected to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his upcoming visit to Dhaka from March 13-16.
The unfolding developments have sparked intense debate over the extent of foreign involvement in Bangladesh’s political transition and the long-term implications for the nation’s sovereignty.
