Dhaka, Sep 22 (PTI) The United Nations will support Bangladesh in its reform initiatives, including police and election reforms, undertaken by the interim government, a top official of the world body said on Sunday.
The chief of the UN in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus here and discussed a wide range of issues, including reforms, corruption, floods, the Rohingya crisis, and the UN-led investigation into the July-August violence, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
Lewis expressed her support for the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government and thanked Yunus for “taking up the extraordinary role”, the paper said.
Yunus, 84, recently announced the formation of six commissions to reform the judiciary, election system, administration, police, anti-corruption commission and the constitution.
The Nobel laureate took oath as the head of the interim government on August 8, three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protests against her government.
Yunus said this was the “most unifying moment” for the whole nation and the main job of his government was to “set an example” for everyone.
“This is a great opportunity for the country to reform the economy and fix almost every institution,” he said.
The chief adviser said the government has made police reform a top priority and added that the government was also committed to setting up an integrated national IT system, which will ease hassles and cut corruption in the country.
Yunus said the government has also formed a commission to make major reforms in the electoral system so that free and fair voting can be held.
The resident coordinator said that the UN-led team had already started investigating the violence and murders that took place in July and August when Bangladesh was rocked by massive student protests over quota reforms for government jobs.
Lewis said the UN has provided USD 4 million for the post-flood rehabilitation in the country’s eastern and southern regions which affected 18 million people since the beginning of the monsoon. She said the UN was coordinating aid from the agencies and charities for the flood victims.
The chief adviser sought the UN’s help in instituting an early warning system for floods in South Asia.
They also discussed environmental, climate change, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts issues, the paper said. PTI GSP ZH GSP GSP
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