Issue Brief on “Assessing Bangladesh’s Transitional Diplomacy Under the Yunus Government”

Overview

Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as a consequence of nationwide student-led protests, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed control of the caretaker government. Yunus, a Bangladeshi economist and founder of Grameen Bank, took the role as Chief Advisor of the interim government on August 8, 2024, after being recommended by student protesters. In his first speech during the oath-taking ceremony at the presidential palace in Dhaka, the interim leader stated that he would protect the constitution and reunite the nation[1].

In the foreign policy arena, the acting government broadened the country's range of foreign relations by exploring engagement with new partners. Unlike the Hasina's regime, the Yunus administration explored strengthening ties, especially with Pakistan and China, among others. The country restored its diplomatic engagement with Pakistan after 15 years in August 2025, during the visit of Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka[2]. The two countries are now focusing on boosting economic, cultural, and defense cooperation through several agreements and formal visits. Alongside, both nations share the aim of reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for amplifying the regional integration in South Asia. The interim government is correspondingly deepening ties with China, distinguished by Chief Advisor Yunus's visit to China in March 2025. With India, contrarily, the relations are fading under Yunus' administration. This shift in Bangladesh's foreign policy approach under Muhammad Yunus confers South Asia an increasingly warming trend in its geopolitical arena.

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