Recent diplomatic developments surrounding Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, have raised new concerns about the country’s strategic economic interests. In particular, allegations of money laundering have intensified over a possible move to transfer the highly valuable Grameen Telecom–Grameenphone shares abroad.
The sudden, unannounced, and protocol-breaching arrival in Dhaka on December 7 of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s two daughters—Leyla and Arzu Aliyeva—has heightened these suspicions. Although they held a closed-door meeting with Dr. Yunus, government offices have not provided any explanation about the matter.
Because international investigative reports—especially the Panama Papers—contain allegations of offshore transactions and asset transfers involving the Aliyev family, further questions have arisen regarding the purpose of the meeting. According to diplomatic circles, this contact may be connected to a potential plan to move Grameen Telecom’s assets overseas.
Grameen Telecom controls approximately 2.45 billion $ in assets in Bangladesh, and the value of its shares in Grameenphone is about 1.12 billion $. There are allegations that preparations are underway to transfer this large amount of shares to foreign individuals as a way to move capital abroad, which could pose a serious risk to the country’s economic security.
Dr. Yunus is already facing ongoing court cases related to dividend irregularities, misappropriation of workers’ dues, and financial transparency issues. Amid these legal proceedings, unofficial foreign contacts have raised even deeper questions.
State analysts believe that any discussion involving the country’s strategic telecommunications sector must be transparent, formal, and protocol-based. Otherwise, concerns about the smuggling of assets abroad may increase, potentially harming national interests.
