Home
+
Published : 03 Mar 2025, 02:25 AM
Expressing "deep concern" over the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has said that his friend and Bangladesh interim government head Muhammad Yunus has a long way to go to resolve the existing impasse.
He also expressed concern over how Bangladesh would navigate the challenges.
In an exclusive interview with the Press Trust of India, or PTI, on Sunday, Sen said: "I have spent a lot of time in Dhaka and began my school education there.
“Aside from Dhaka, I often visited my ancestral home in Manikganj. On my maternal side, I regularly visited Bikrampur, particularly Sonargaon.”
He said, “These places have deep personal significance for me. Like many others, I am worried about how Bangladesh will overcome its current challenges.”
“The situation in Bangladesh affects me deeply because I have a strong Bengali sense of identity.”
The Indian Express said Sen took part in the interview at his Santiniketan home in West Bengal’s Birbhum.
On Bangladesh’s progress since its independence, Sen highlighted the country’s improvements in per capita income — at one point surpassing India — along with a sharp reduction in birth rates and higher life expectancy compared with India.
“Bangladesh has undergone major economic and social transformations, particularly in advancing women’s rights, with contributions from both the government and non-governmental organisations like BRAC and Grameen Bank,” he said.
Sen also noted that newspapers in Bangladesh remained “relatively free”, with many flourishing despite taking strong anti-government positions.
He praised the Bangladeshi Army for its restraint in not attempting to establish military rule.
In the interview, he cautioned against banning the Awami League, arguing that such a move would repeat the same mistakes that other parties had accused the Awami government of making.
“I think Bangladesh should make the best use of its tradition of working together rather than attempting to sideline any particular group.
“A broader perspective is needed. I hope that the Bengali commitment to freedom and pluralism will persist. And I hope future elections will be more visibly free than many claim they have been. There is room for change.”
Sen said, “I am worried about Bangladesh, but I am not without hope.”
Asked about his assessment of another Nobel laureate Yunus as Bangladesh’s chief advisor to the interim administration, he said: “Yunus is an old friend. I know he is highly capable and, in many ways, a remarkable human being.
“He has made strong statements about Bangladesh’s secularism and democratic commitment.
“If you suddenly become the head of a country, as Yunus effectively has, you must consider various factions. There are Islamic parties, and now Hindu factions as well. I have great confidence in Yunus’ abilities.”
Sen strongly condemned attacks on Hindu minorities and the vandalisation of temples, highlighting that it was the responsibility of both the government and the members of the public to prevent such violence.
