Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus outlined two immediate priorities – restoring law and order and reviving the economy – while speaking in an exclusive interview with the South Korean Maeil Business Newspaper, also known as Maekyung or MK, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, last month.
Yunus told Son Hyun-duk, CEO of the newspaper, that the country was at a turning point after years of political turmoil, corruption and economic mismanagement.
Talking about the July uprising, Yunus said students had protested for fairness, but the corrupt dictatorship had responded with violence. “The government could no longer be tolerated. Their parents and citizens joined in and threw themselves in front of flying bullets and did not leave the streets.”
He said the movement had begun as a protest against the country’s government job quotas but had been driven by deep-rooted dictatorship and corruption.
When working on the Paris Olympics, he received an urgent call from Bangladesh, requesting him to lead the new government, Yunus recounted. Initially reluctant, he eventually accepted due to persistent appeals for his leadership.
The chief adviser said Bangladesh's economy was in ruins due to the Sheikh Hasina regime’s corruption, with billions stolen and laundered.
Many factories had been abandoned with business elites fleeing, he said, adding that his administration was working to recover stolen funds, reopen closed factories and rebuild the economy.
Recognizing the urgent need for foreign investment, Yunus said that was why he was in Davos – to discuss Bangladesh’s situation and present the national reconstruction plan to global leaders.
He mentioned Sung Ki-hak, chairman of Youngone Corporation, a pioneer in Bangladesh's readymade garments and textile sectors, saying the latter had, despite facing discrimination, remained committed to Bangladesh for over 50 years. “Chairman Sung is also very happy that we (the interim government) have entered.”
Talking about bilateral cooperation beyond the textile industry, Yunus said Bangladesh and Korea could collaborate in shipbuilding, ship dismantling and manufacturing.
He noted that Bangladesh's strategic location made it a key maritime gateway to South Asia, providing access to landlocked countries.
With an abundant labour force and existing industrial ties, the country could serve as a regional manufacturing hub for Korea, Yunus added.
Responding to a question about Bangladesh's biggest investment attraction, he said its young, affordable and vibrant labour force was a feature of the country. “With a population of 171 million, it is the eighth most populous country in the world, with an average age of only 27.”
