Yunus says prompt national vote a top priority as Bangladesh pushes ahead with reforms

Elections will be held once the interim government "fulfils its mandate" of implementing essential state reforms, he says

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has stressed that the top priority of his interim government was to conduct the national elections at the earliest possible time.

Speaking at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on Friday, he assured that "free, fair and participatory" elections would be held once the administration "fulfils its mandate" of implementing essential state reforms, state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reports.

Reflecting on the July Uprising in Bangladesh, Yunus recalled the spirit of the Liberation War in 1971, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary women and men, children and youth made the ultimate sacrifice during a nine-month struggle against a brutal military regime.

“Our people aspired for an inclusive, just and free society where every ordinary person could materialise his or her dreams," he is quoted as saying by BSS.

“Sadly, in the course of the past 15 years, our people, especially the youth, progressively saw their spaces and rights curtailed. They witnessed deep erosion of almost every state institution and civic rights trampled,” Yunus added.

The student-led mass uprising that overthrew the Awami League government last year came at a heavy price as nearly 2,000 people -- most of them young, including 118 children -- lost their lives, according to the chief advisor.

“The people of Bangladesh witnessed a rebirth in her history,” he added.

Yunus noted that the student leaders who led the July Uprising asked him to guide the country through a critical juncture, a responsibility that he accepted "for the sake of our people”.

The chief advisor said his interim administration is obligated to institute sweeping reforms aimed at restoring economic stability and long-term growth.

“We are determined to ensure good governance, fight corruption, and bring discipline to every sector of the economy. These are the pillars of our reform agenda,” Yunus said.

To that end, he emphasised that six reform commissions had been established to review key areas: the judiciary, electoral system, public administration, police, Anti-Corruption Corruption, and the Constitution. These commissions have submitted their recommendations, which are now under review.

To consolidate these efforts, the government has formed a seven-strong National Consensus Commission chaired by Yunus himself, bringing together the heads of all six commissions to evaluate and adopt their proposals.

The interim government has also launched four new commissions focused on media, health, labour, and women’s rights.

“As we rebuild Bangladesh, we will continue to work steadfastly to ensure the constitutional rights of every citizen of the country whether they are women or members of ethnic and religious minorities,” he said.

Thai Prime Minister and Summit Chair Paetongtarn Shinawatra, BIMSTEC Secretary General Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, and other distinguished leaders from member states attended the event.