Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus left Dhaka for the United Kingdom at 7:30pm on Monday (June 9) on an Emirates flight for a four-day official visit.

He will stay in London from June 10 to 13 and attend several high-level meetings with British and international leaders, according to Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique.

During the visit, Prof Yunus will receive the “Harmony Award 2025” from King Charles III at a ceremony at St James’s Palace on June 12. The award recognises his work for peace, sustainability, and promoting harmony. Last year, the award was given to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prof Yunus will also meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and other senior officials. They are expected to discuss climate change, development, the Rohingya crisis, and migration.

He will also meet the Secretaries-General of the Commonwealth and the International Maritime Organization.

On June 11, he will give a speech at Chatham House on Bangladesh’s progress and future goals.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur said Prof Yunus will also raise the issue of money laundering during the previous Sheikh Hasina-led government. Around $16 billion is believed to have been illegally transferred abroad each year during that time. The Chief Adviser has already sought help from the UK government to trace and recover the money.

MSK/