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Published : 14 Nov 2025, 03:33 PM
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus says that the Awami League has been removed from the Election Commission’s list of registered parties and will not be able to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections.
However, February’s election will still be an inclusive and participatory one, he said in a meeting with British Minister for International Development Baroness Jenny Chapman at the State Guest House Jamuna on Thursday.
“The election will be participatory. There will be a big turnout,” he said, adding that millions of young people will be casting their first ballots “as they had no opportunity to vote during the three rigged general elections over the 16-year-long autocracy”, according to a statement from the Chief Advisor’s Office.
The activities of the Awami League have been suspended under Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism laws and the EC subsequently removed it from the list of registered parties, Yunus said.
Still, the chief advisor reaffirmed his government’s commitment to a free, fair, and inclusive election.
He said the July Charter would mark “a new beginning” for Bangladesh as a reflection of the aspirations of the July Uprising of last year.
Chapman thanked Yunus for his leadership of the interim government and commended the dialogue between the National Consensus Commission and political parties over the July Charter.
She also expressed concern about the abuse of the UK asylum system by migrants, including those from Bangladesh, emphasising the importance of safe and legal migration while preventing exploitation.
Yunus agreed, saying the interim government was committed to ensuring safe migration and is encouraging Bangladeshis to pursue legal means of getting employment abroad.
The two also discussed the Rohingya crisis and the need for humanitarian support to those living in camps in Bangladesh.
“The young people in the camps are growing up without hope — angry and frustrated. We must ensure they receive education,” the chief advisor said.
Opportunities to boost trade and cooperation between Dhaka and London were discussed. Yunus noted the purchase of a British research vessel for maritime studies in the Bay of Bengal, while Chapman called for stronger air links between the two nations, adding the head of Airbus International is expected to visit Bangladesh soon.
