Election possible in December if political parties agree to minor reforms, says Yunus

His meeting with two former US diplomats covers election timing, the Rohingya crisis, fund recovery, and aid cuts, among others

The next general election could take place within December if political parties agree to hold it with minor reforms, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has said.

If the reform process is extended, the polls may be delayed by another six months, he added.

The interim prime minister discussed the timing of the parliamentary election during a meeting with former United States diplomats William B Milam and Jon Danilowicz at the State Guest House Jamuna on Thursday.

The talks also covered Bangladesh-US relations, the Rohingya crisis and the impact of dwindling international aid for refugees, efforts to recover large sums of money laundered under the previous administration, and the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, or SAARC.

Yunus-led interim administration took charge with a pledge to reform the state following the ouster of the Awami League government through mass uprising.

The reform commissions formed by the government have already submitted their recommendations, which are now being discussed with political parties.

“The political parties will sign the July Charter after completing dialogues on the six commissions' recommended reforms. This charter will guide us forward,” the chief advisor said.

He added that the caretaker administration would implement some of the charter’s recommendations while the rest would be carried out by the next elected government.

The chief advisor’s press wing said the meeting with Milam, president of Right to Freedom, and Danilowicz, its executive director, lasted nearly an hour.

Milam served as the US ambassador to Bangladesh in the early 1990s, while Danilowicz was the deputy chief of mission at the US embassies in Dhaka.

Milam praised the interim government’s reform initiatives.

The envoy said the July Uprising had created an opportunity for major reforms and paved the way for true democracy to flourish in Bangladesh.

Danilowicz stressed the importance of presenting positive developments in Bangladesh and countering misinformation and fake news.

Both diplomats discussed plans to expand Right to Freedom’s activities in Bangladesh and expressed the organisation’s interest in supporting the country’s democratic transition.

Yunus appreciated their efforts and the organisation’s work in upholding human rights and democratic values.