Ambassador William B. Milam and Jon Danilowicz, president and executive director of the US-based human rights group Right to Freedom, paid a courtesy visit to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka on Thursday.
During the meeting, the two former US diplomats briefed Professor Yunus on Right to Freedom’s ongoing work and its plans to expand activities in Bangladesh to support the country’s democratic transition.
Ambassador Milam, who served as the US envoy to Bangladesh in the early 1990s, praised the Interim Government’s reform initiatives, stating that the July uprising had created significant opportunities to implement deep reforms and establish genuine democracy in Bangladesh.
Jon Danilowicz, a former US deputy ambassador to Dhaka, emphasized the need for positive narratives and decisive action to combat fake news and disinformation in the country.
During the hour-long discussion, Professor Yunus informed the diplomats that political parties would sign a July Charter following the conclusion of dialogues on reform proposals by the six commissions.
“The July Charter will guide us,” he said, adding that the Interim Government would implement some recommendations immediately, while the rest would be carried out by future elected governments.
The meeting also covered Bangladesh-US relations, the Rohingya crisis, the impact of dwindling aid for Myanmar refugees, efforts to recover billions stolen under the previous regime, the revival of SAARC, and potential election dates.
On the upcoming national elections, the chief adviser stated that polls could take place in December if political parties agreed to fewer pre-election reforms, or by June next year if further reforms were pursued.
