Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus met with former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok on Friday.

They discussed a variety of topics, including the health of Thaksin, a longtime friend of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Prof. Yunus inquired about Thaksin’s well-being, according to the Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. 

The two have a long history, as Thaksin had visited Bangladesh shortly after taking office in 2001. During that visit, he toured Grameen Bank and was inspired to create a similar microcredit program for Thailand.

Thaksin had invited Prof. Yunus to Thailand as the chief guest for the national launch of the microcredit program that year. 

They also discussed the potential revival of the airline route between Chiang Mai and Chattogram, which previously shortened the flight time between Bangladesh and Thailand to just one hour. 

Thaksin reminisced about flying on the inaugural flight alongside former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Additionally, the two leaders explored further opportunities for cooperation between the two nations. Prof. Yunus expressed his interest in gaining Thaksin’s support for Bangladesh’s aspiration to become a member of ASEAN. 

He also thanked the former Thai premier for his contributions to expanding trade and cooperation during his tenure as prime minister.

The discussions also covered the Rohingya crisis and potential solutions, as well as broader global trade issues and the expansion of microcredit and social businesses in rural Thailand. 

Lamiya Morshed, Senior Secretary and SDG Affairs Coordinator of Bangladesh, was also present at the meeting.

BDST: 1500 HRS, APR 05, 2025
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