A late-night meeting involving US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and former Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus on May 26 has triggered intense speculation in political and diplomatic circles, particularly following Yunus's sudden departure for an undisclosed visit to Paris.
Yunus took an early morning Turkish Airlines flight to the French capital on May 27.
He was accompanied by his close aide Lamiya Morshed. Yunus is expected to return to Dhaka on June 3.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the three men met at Chrsitensen's Gulshan residence where Rahman reached around 10 pm on May 26 without security cover or protocol befitting the prime minister.
The meeting was reportedly kept off official schedules and conducted without the presence of senior aides, underscoring the sensitivity of the discussions.
Neither the Prime Minister's Office nor the US Embassy in Dhaka has publicly acknowledged the meeting.
However, officials with knowledge of the discussions said the talks focused on Bangladesh's political transition and the country's relations with key international players, including the United States, the European Union and India.
The closed-door meeting assumed greater significance after Yunus quietly left Bangladesh two weeks later for Paris where the former chief adviser is said to have met a number of non-Bangladeshi officials.
Bangladesh government sources said Yunus' trip was linked to follow-up discussions arising from the May 26 meeting.
Paris was the location from where Yunus took a flight to arrive in Dhaka on August 8, 2024, to head the interim regime that remained in power for 18 months.
Analysts believe the timing of the visit suggests a coordinated diplomatic effort involving Dhaka and its Western partners.
"The sequence of events indicates that the Paris trip was not planned at the last minute," said a Dhaka-based political observer. "It appears to be part of a broader strategy discussed during the May 26 meeting".
Opposition leaders have called for greater transparency regarding both the secret meeting and Yunus's overseas travel, arguing that matters of national importance should be disclosed to the public.
Government officials, however, insist that the confidential consultations could be a prelude to Yunus' role in affairs of the state.
As questions continue to mount, authorities have remained tight-lipped, leaving observers to speculate about the full significance of the meeting and Yunus's mission in Paris.