Balance with big powers important: Bangladesh foreign affairs advisor

The Foreign Affairs Advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh, Md Touhid Hossain, said that with the start of the new government in the country, maintaining balance with 'big powers' is important, reported Bangladesh-based daily, Dhaka Tribune.

Hossain said on Friday that it was important for Bangladesh to have good relations with all countries, Dhaka Tribune stated.

"We want to keep good relations with all. We need to maintain a balance of relations with the big countries," Dhaka Tribune reported him as saying.

Hossain added that restoration of law and order in the country was the interim government's key priority and said that other issues will be solved after this first goal is achieved, Dhaka Tribune stated.

Earlier on Thursday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the United States hopes the new interim government in Bangladesh will pave the way for a democratic future.

Miller noted that the US has been in communication with the interim government, including attending the swearing-in of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus as the country's chief advisor.

"There has been communication with the interim government. Our charge d'affaires attended his swearing-in today. I don't know if she spoke to him at the swearing-in, but she did attend communication with the interim government, not necessarily him personally," Miller said in a press briefing.

"One of the things that we have made clear is that we want to see the interim government chart a democratic future for the people of Bangladesh," he added.

The key tasks for Yunus will now be to restore peace in Bangladesh and prepare for the new elections.

Yunus was acquitted in a bribe case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over the misappropriation of funds from the Grameen Telecom Workers and Employees Welfare Fund on Sunday. This move came four days after Yunus was acquitted in another case of labour law violation.