Mark Malloch-Brown, the former President of the Open Society Foundations founded by Hungarian-born billionaire US investor George Soros, met Muhammad Yunus, the head of the interim government in Bangladesh, in Dhaka on Sunday.
"Lord Mark Malloch-Brown calls on Chief Advisor Bangladesh," Yunus' office posted on X with a photograph from the meeting.
Brown, who has also previously worked with the United Nations, World Bank and as a minister with the British government, had stepped down from his role in June 2024 following Binaifer Nowrojee's appointment as the new president of the Open Society Foundations.
Over the last few years, nonagenarian Soros has openly declared his intention to remove nationalist governments from power, including in India.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had referred to Soros as an "old, rich, opinionated and dangerous" person for making repeated attempts to hurt India's image and democratic structure.
Calling him a "left-winger" who has "an awful lot of money", former US National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton had told IANS that the controversial businessman's views should not be labelled as Washington's stand on several key issues.
"Look, Soros is a left winger in American political terms and he has an awful lot of money. He uses a lot of it in American politics and certainly there are reports that he uses a lot of it around the world also. Some reports of what he's doing are more accurate than others, but I think his overall worldview is not one that I share," Bolton told IANS in an exclusive chat in October.
Interestingly, the Brown-Yunus meeting took place just before Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is scheduled to hold Foreign Office Consultations with his Bangladesh counterpart Jashim Uddin, in Dhaka on Monday.
Relations between the two countries have nosedived over the past few months as India remains extremely concerned with the surge in extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence, and provocations, especially against the Hindu community, in Bangladesh.
Earlier this week, Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had accused Yunus of being the "mastermind of mass killings" and orchestrating attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.
Addressing an Awami League event in New York virtually, Hasina slammed Yunus for allegedly targeting Hindu temples, including ISKCON sites, and other religious places of the minorities in Bangladesh.
"Today, I have been accused of mass killings. In reality, it is Muhammad Yunus who is responsible for mass killings through a deliberate plan along with his student coordinators. They are the masterminds," she had asserted.
The minorities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, have come under a severe attack by Islamist elements in Bangladesh after the formation of the interim government in the country headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
No booksellers or publishers from Bangladesh to participate in Agartala Book Fair
Amidst the unrest followed by the political changes in Bangladesh, no booksellers or publishers from the neighbouring country will participate in the Agartala Book Fair, beginning from Thursday, officials said.
Manipur govt to provide collateral-free loans up to Rs 50,000 to violence displaced people: CM
The Manipur government would provide collateral-free loans up to Rs 50,000 to the ethnic violence displaced people under the Chief Minister’s Entrepreneurship Support Scheme (CMESS), Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced here on Tuesday.
Manipur govt announces 7 pc DA hike for employees
Announcing the DA, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that the Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees shall be increased from 32 per cent to 39 per cent with effect from January 1, 2025.
Narcotics valued at Rs 15 crore seized from Assam, two arrested
Assam Police foiled an interstate drug peddling attempt and seized narcotics worth Rs 15 crore, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. The operation was carried out in the Cachar district which is neighbouring two states - Manipur and Mizoram.
PM-Kusum scheme to enhance crop production, double farmers’ income; Union Minister Prahlad Joshi visits Charilam
The Union Minister for renewable energy Prahlad Joshi on Sunday visited the renewable energy plant in Charilam block in Sepahijala district of the state and interacted with the local beneficiaries.
Govt approves scheme to enhance food storage space in NE states: Pralhad Joshi
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said that the government has recently approved a Private Enterprise Guarantee (PEG) scheme for enhancing storage space in northeastern states.
100 Bangladeshi, Rohingyas held in 5 months at Agartala railway station alone
Around 100 infiltrators including 87 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested during the past five months at the Agartala railway station alone, while hundreds of other intruders from across the border were nabbed in different places of Tripura, officials said here on Friday.
Minister Sudhangshu Das pitches for fishery and livestock rearing to become self-reliant; chairs review meeting
The state animal resource development department (ARDD) Sudhangshu Das on Thursday chaired a west Tripura district level review meeting on various developmental schemes under the SC Welfare, ARDD and Fishery department here in the conference hall of the District Magistrate of West Tripura district.