File picture of Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his election victory. Bangladesh and the U.S. “share a long history of friendship and collaboration across numerous areas of mutual interest,” Mr. Yunus said in a letter.

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“Excellency, aligning with our commitment to a peaceful andinclusive society, the government and the peace-loving people of Bangladesh look forward to partner and collaborate in your efforts in addressing the global challenges in the pursuit of peace, harmony, stability and prosperity for all,” said Mr. Yunus in his letter.

Leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Tarique Rahman, who is living in exile in the U.K., has also congratulated Mr. Trump. Despite the formal communication, commentators in and out of Bangladesh have pointed out that Mr. Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is a well-known friend of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton — both fierce critics of Donald Trump.

Mr. Yunus had described the victory of Mr. Trump in 2016 as an “eclipse”.

“Yunus’s liberal politics, which have helped earn him the support of many top U.S. Democrats, including Bill and Hillary Clinton puts him at odds with Trump. They are far from ideological bedfellows,” Michael Kugelman of Wilson Centre stated on November 3. Ahead of the poll, Mr. Trump had slammed attacks against minorities in Bangladesh.