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Published : 25 Sep 2025, 09:22 PM
The Transparency International Bangladesh has expressed “deep disappointment” over the interim government’s decision to send a large delegation to the United Nations General Assembly.
The TIB criticised the move as what it calls “unconstitutional demands” and poor governance practices reminiscent of an authoritarian regime.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the anti-graft organisation questioned the message the interim government intended to send by participating in the UN session with over 100 representatives.
The statement said, “And in return, to what extent can the country and its citizens, including taxpayers, expect tangible benefits?”
The organisation’s Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, during authoritarian regimes, it became a norm to send massive delegations to international forums, with some reaching over 200 members.
He was quoted as saying, “It was hoped that a government formed through unprecedented student and people’s movements -- with a strong commitment to transparent, accountable governance and state reform -- would avoid repeating this practice.”
Despite issuing a circular to halt wasteful foreign trips, the interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, was set to send 104 representatives to New York, which Iftekharuzzaman described as a “regrettable contradiction”.
He said, by sending such a large delegation, the government has created doubt about its credibility.
The delegation, which departed for New York on Saturday, includes six political leaders from the BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP). The list of other members of the delegation was not disclosed by the government.
However, expatriate journalist Zulkarnain Saer revealed the full list of 104 members in a Facebook post, which included Yunus, his two daughters, seven advisors, six political leaders, and various officials from the Chief Advisor’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the security team, along with several distinguished citizens and members of Bangladesh's Mission to the UN.
Iftekharuzzaman also questioned the real purpose of sending such a large delegation, suggesting that countries with significant diplomatic influence, like the US, Russia, and China, rarely send such extensive delegations.
He likened the practice to that of countries with poor governance, such as Nigeria, where large delegations are often seen as mere diplomatic tourism rather than a substantive political strategy.
The TIB had hoped that following last year’s relatively smaller delegation of 57 representatives, the government would further reduce the number of delegates this year. Instead, they described the government's backward step as a continuation of “embarrassing practices” that contradict the principles of transparent governance.
He called on the government to clarify the roles of the delegation members and ensure that their participation aligned with national interests.
He emphasised that the public deserves answers, particularly from a government formed after a popular uprising, and urged a clear explanation from the interim government regarding these choices.
