DHAKA (The Thursday Times) — Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has reaffirmed that the country’s 13th National Election will take place as scheduled on 12 February next year, declaring it a crucial moment for restoring democracy after years of autocratic rule.
The nation is eagerly waiting to exercise their voting rights which were stolen by the autocratic regime, Prof Yunus, in a call with a US envoy.
Prof Yunus made the remarks during a telephone conversation with Sergio Gor, the United States Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, who also serves as Washington’s ambassador to India. The call covered a range of issues, including the upcoming election, Bangladesh-US trade relations, democratic reforms, and the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Movement.
During the discussion, Prof Yunus alleged that supporters of the ousted regime were spending “millions of dollars” in attempts to disrupt the electoral process. He named former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now in exile, accusing her of inciting violence from abroad in an effort to destabilise the interim administration’s efforts.
Despite these concerns, the chief adviser expressed confidence in the interim government’s ability to conduct a free, fair and peaceful election, stating: The interim government is fully prepared to face any challenge. We have roughly 50 days to go before the election. We want to make it remarkable.
The call also touched on Bangladesh’s recent diplomatic breakthrough in trade negotiations with Washington. Gor congratulated Prof Yunus for securing a significant reduction in US reciprocal tariffs on Bangladeshi exports, now lowered to 20 percent. The deal marks a rare and notable success for Dhaka in international trade diplomacy.
Gor further commented on the state funeral of Sharif Osman Hadi, which drew tens of thousands of mourners. The scale of the ceremony was seen as an indicator of growing public support for the transitional government, which has promised to guide the country back to democratic stability.∎
