Johannes Zutt, the newly appointed Vice President for South Asia at the World Bank, has expressed strong support for Bangladesh’s inclusive growth initiatives and praised Chief Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus for his reform agenda in the economic sector under the interim government. On Monday evening (July 14), Zutt met Dr. Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna, accompanied by Jin Pejsim, the newly appointed Country Director for Bhutan.

During the meeting, Zutt expressed his deep affection for Bangladesh, recalling his previous tenure as Country Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal from 2013 to 2015. He thanked Dr. Yunus and his team for their efforts, particularly for tackling challenging issues in the financial sector, stating, “We are ready to continue this journey and share the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.”

He also paid tribute to the students who lost their lives during last year’s July movement, calling it a deeply emotional moment for anyone connected with Bangladesh. Zutt commended Dr. Yunus for his work on women’s empowerment and reaffirmed the World Bank’s continued support. He mentioned the success of Bangladesh’s female education stipend program, funded by the World Bank, which has since been replicated in other countries.

Zutt noted that the World Bank would continue supporting Bangladesh in creating opportunities for youth, adding that it had committed over $3 billion in financing in the last fiscal year and intends to maintain similar levels of support over the next three years.

Dr. Yunus expressed his gratitude for the support and praised development partners for standing by the country despite the interim government’s lack of prior governance experience. “When we took office, the country was like a disaster zone—like the aftermath of an earthquake,” he said.

Highlighting the role of youth in the July uprising, Dr. Yunus emphasized, “They showed the nation a vision for a new Bangladesh. What our youth did last July was historic, especially the vital contributions of our women. We are now observing July 14 as Women’s Day. Their sacrifices must not go in vain.” He stressed that youth should be the focal point of the country’s development efforts.

He urged the World Bank to see Bangladesh not merely as a geographical entity but as a growing economic force, stating that the region’s prosperity is tied to Bangladesh’s success. Dr. Yunus advocated for the expansion of trade and transport infrastructure and noted the strategic importance of Bangladesh’s seaports.

Mentioning the country’s demographic advantage, he invited foreign factories to invest in Bangladesh, promising the necessary support to build a strong industrial base.

Lutfar Siddiqui, Special Envoy for International Affairs to the Chief Advisor, was also present and provided updates on the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port. She noted increased container handling under the new management system and reported a significant rise in net foreign direct investment (FDI) in Q1 of 2025, attributed to robust equity investments and corporate lending.