No Meeting with Starmer Amid High-Stakes Visit
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declined a formal request to meet with Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, during his visit to London. The decision, reported by the Financial Times, underscores the diplomatic chill surrounding Yunus’s controversial rise to power and the international skepticism his government now faces.
UK officials confirmed there are “no current plans” for Starmer to engage with Yunus, and declined to elaborate further, signaling a clear reluctance to offer legitimacy to Bangladesh’s transitional regime.
Why Yunus Wants UK Support
Yunus is in the UK on a mission to gain international backing for efforts to trace and recover billions he claims were siphoned off by the former Sheikh Hasina government. He argues that the UK, as a global financial hub and destination for illicit funds, has a “moral and legal responsibility” to support Bangladesh’s recovery mission.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Yunus acknowledged he hadn’t spoken to Starmer directly, but expressed optimism that the UK would eventually support what he described as a campaign for justice and accountability.
Despite his assertions, UK officials have remained distant, highlighting growing concerns over Yunus’s leadership, ongoing human rights violations in Bangladesh, and the volatile domestic political environment under the interim government.
Global Cold Shoulder and Rising Criticism
Yunus’s appeal for international support has largely fallen flat. His approach has met with silence or polite refusals—not just from the UK, but also from key regional players. Earlier this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored Yunus’s plea to prevent former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from making political statements while residing in New Delhi.
Yunus told attendees at Chatham House in London that his government is pressing for Hasina’s extradition to face charges at home, including a recent indictment by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal. However, India has shown no interest in facilitating such a move, indicating that Yunus’s government lacks the diplomatic weight to influence regional leaders.
Public Backlash in London
Yunus’s visit to London has also been marred by public protests. On Tuesday morning, hundreds of British Bangladeshis rallied outside the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, accusing him of engineering a political coup and overseeing widespread repression.
Chanting slogans and holding placards labeling him the “architect of mob rule,” protestors denounced his interim administration for human rights violations, including lynchings, arbitrary detentions, and political purges. Many demanded his resignation and condemned what they described as the freeing of extremists and jailing of patriotic voices.
The protests reflect deep divisions within the global Bangladeshi diaspora, many of whom view Yunus’s government as lacking legitimacy and violating democratic norms.
Echoes of Past Rebuffs
This isn’t the first-time international leaders have distanced themselves from controversial Bangladeshi figures. In 2020, during another turbulent political period, global forums avoided engaging directly with transitional leaders due to unresolved allegations of abuse and political violence.
Yunus now finds himself in a similar position—caught between lofty ambitions and growing international doubt.
Isolated at a Crucial Moment
Muhammad Yunus’s diplomatic cold shoulder in London signals a deeper reality: the global community is hesitant to legitimize a government accused of repression and instability. The UK’s refusal to meet him, paired with India’s dismissal of his requests, underscores the lack of international confidence in his leadership.
As he seeks to recover stolen assets and rally global support, Yunus may first need to address concerns at home—about legitimacy, justice, and human rights—before expecting allies abroad. Until then, his interim administration may remain isolated in an increasingly skeptical world.
(With agency inputs)
