Diplomats in the US embassy in Dhaka regularly and directly send out instructions and suggestions over WhatsApp to key Bangladeshi advisers in Mohammad Yunus’ interim administration, in matters related to government functioning and policy.
Most of the advisers are comfortable receiving these instructions on both macro and micro-level issues that emanate in their respective ministries.
Northeast News was able to access at least five such messages to five different advisers in charge of critical and sensitive portfolios.
In a June message to an adviser – a vocal lady close to some other colleagues who had direct links with US embassy diplomats before and after August 8, 2024 – an American diplomat wrote a rather lengthy message – running to 298 words – that bordered on hectoring.
This US diplomat, who Northeast News is not identifying, wrote: “*** (the name of the adviser) – USTR has shared with us a negative assessment of discussions with the Commerce Secretary yesterday. We are glad that Khalil Rahman has a meeting scheduled with AUSTR Lynch today at 10:00 pm Dhaka time. USTR have a lot of respect for Khalil personally and Bangladesh has some goodwill built up for its commitments on labor reform and plans to increase procurement.”
“However they will not yield on the Reciprocal Tariff Framwork Agreement. The White House is not viewing the Framework as a negotiation, rather a proposal that you can accept and avoid tariffs or reject and get 37%. I recognise that it is very difficult but your competitors in the region are taking it very seriously and I urge you to do so as well. I understand the challenges with political parties, please consider us a resource.”
“AMB is meeting next week with BNP leadership and is happy to host a tea/breakfast for IG officials and political parties to help get them on board. In terms of the limitations on the IG mandate, i would argue that you have a mandate and obligation to preserve the economic stability the IG has brought to the country. No one is going to convince the WH to give Bangladesh a pass on this requirement because it’s an interim government, a poor country, or for any other reason. That said, they have told us they have time next week to look at a serious proposal. I would humbly suggest you put together a Dream Team to work on this between now and Monday afternoon, when Washington opens. That proposal should be based on the Framework Agreement, and contain only limited/minor proposed changes. Time is short, and the danger is real. You need to put your best people on this now”.
While the message is not directly related to this particular adviser’s ministry, she is part of the inner circle of Mohammad Yunus and is close to Law Adviser Asif Nazrul whose wife Sheila Ahmed works as an “Economic and Commercial Specialist” at the US embassy in Dhaka.
It is said that a WhatsApp group was created soon after August 8, 2024. This group has most of the advisers on it.
However, when instructions are issued by the US diplomats, they are mostly in response to queries on specific steps and measures the advisers seek to take on crucial issues.
The one-on-one messages (from the advisers) and replies (from the US diplomats) are “quite frequent”.
A few days ago, another adviser, who played a leading role in documenting alleged human rights violations and forced disappearances of several Jamaat-e-Islami supporters during the Awami League’s tenure, and now oversees functions of key regulatory ministry, also received instructions from a US diplomat at the embassy.
A third adviser, also a lady (born in 1953 in Chittagong) who is ‘married’ to a poet and a Hizbut Tehrir ideologue, started receiving instructions – based on specific questions from her – soon after the Yunus regime took charge.
In another glaring case of direct involvement in Bangladesh higher judiciary’s recent decisions, a senior US diplomat in Dhaka met a top judge in the third week of May this year.
On May 28, a few days after the diplomat went on a 21-day visit to the US, via Doha, Qatar, the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, a top Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam was freed.
Azharul Islam had been sentenced to death after being convicted for committing crimes against humanity by backing Pakistani troops during the 1971 liberation war.
Suffice it to say that Asif Nazrul, the Yunus-led interim government’s Law Adviser, welcomed Azharul Islam’s release.
Three days after Azharul Islam was discharged from prison, the same Appellate Division led by the Chief Justice overturned a High Court order on cancellation of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration as a political party.
The US embassy in Dhaka has been without an ambassador for over a year now.
The last incumbent, Peter D Haas, left Dhaka on July 23, 2024, but has since been regularly visiting Bangladesh as a Strategic Adviser for Texas-based Excelerate Energy.
The US State Department under Joe Biden’s presidency, posted Tracey Ann Jacobson, formerly a three-time ambassador to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kosovo, as ad interim Chargé d’Affaires, in January 2025.
This approach was adopted as a Chargé d’Affaires does not require the mandatory approval of the US Senate.
