Will Donald Trump’s relationship with Modi affect Bangladesh-U.S. Ties?

Will the past relationship between Donald Trump and Dr. Muhammad Yunus have any impact on the relationship between the two countries? 

How will the chemistry between Trump and Narendra Modi affect the Yunus government? 

These questions have been raised in a special report by Deutsche Welle Bengali.

That report is carried briefly below for the readers of The Report.live:

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, an interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus took charge in Bangladesh on August 8. Dr. Yunus, who is well-connected with U.S. Democrats, now leads this temporary government.

However, his past relationship with Donald Trump, especially after Trump’s election in 2016, raises some questions about how U.S. foreign policy toward Bangladesh might change.

Back in 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost to Trump, Dr. Yunus publicly expressed his disappointment. 

He was in the U.S. at the time and called the election process “misguided.” 

Trump, on the other hand, had made some critical remarks about Yunus’ microfinance work, referring to him as "the microcredit guy from Dhaka" when a Bangladeshi delegation met him.

Since then, Trump has also spoken about religious minority issues in Bangladesh, especially under Sheikh Hasina’s government. Recently, Trump condemned violence against minorities in Bangladesh, calling it “chaotic.”

Now, with Dr. Yunus in charge of Bangladesh’s interim government, how these past comments affect the relationship between the two countries is still uncertain. 

Analysts are focusing on two main issues: Trump’s business-focused policies and his close ties with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who could influence Trump’s decisions regarding Bangladesh.

Experts believe that while the U.S. policy on Bangladesh might not change drastically, Trump’s stance on business and trade could be different from that of the current U.S. government. 

Some worry that Modi’s influence on Trump might create challenges for Dr. Yunus’ government, especially since Modi has been a strong critic of Bangladesh’s government in the past.

However, political analysts believe that the relationship between the two countries will remain stable, as both sides have shared interests, especially in trade and business. 

The situation will become clearer when Trump takes office again in January 2025. For now, Dr. Yunus has already congratulated Trump on his victory in the U.S. elections.

Click here to read the special report of Deutsche Welle Bengali.