Staff Correspondent
The United Nations will support Bangladesh in wide ranging areas including police and election reforms
as the interim government rolls out major restructuring of the country's institutions, said the UN's
resident coordinator in Dhaka.
The chief of UN in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, came up with assurance when she paid a courtesy call on
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his Tejgaon office.
During the meeting, they discussed reforms, corruption, floods, Rohingya crisis and the UN-led
investigation on the July-August carnage.
Gwyn Lewis expressed her support for the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government and
she thanked Professor Yunus "for taking up extraordinary role" as the head of the post-revolution
administration.
The Chief Adviser said this was the "most unifying moment" for the whole nation and the main job of his
government was to "set an example" for everyone.
"This is a great opportunity for the country to reform the economy and fix almost every institution," he
said.
Gwyn Lewis enquired about the reforms in the security forces including police administration.
The chief adviser said the government has made police reform a top of its priorities.
He said the government was also committed to setting up an integrated national IT system, which will
ease hassles and cut corruption in the country.
Prof Yunus said the government has also formed a commission to make major reform in the electoral
system so that votes can be held in a free and fair manner.
Lewis said the UN-led investigation team has already started working on the murders and mayhem
committed during July and August.
She said UN agencies, WHO and ILO, were looking at ways to help the injured victims and people who
were traumatised by the events.
The UN resident coordinator said the UN has provided four million dollars for the post flood
rehabilitation in the country's eastern and southern region.
She said some 18 million people in Bangladesh have been hit by floods since the beginning of the
monsoon and the UN was coordinating aid from the agencies and charities for the flood victims.
UN to support Bangladesh reforms
