Credible election to be held before Ramadan: Chief Adviser

Chief Adviser of the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus has said that the 13th national election will be held before the holy month of Ramadan in February next year. The government is committed to holding a credible election.

He made the remarks on Tuesday evening (September 16) during a video call from Washington DC with Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to a BSS report.

BSS reported that Dr Yunus assured Georgieva that the interim government is committed to holding a timely and credible election. The election will be held before Ramadan in February, after which hewill return to his previous work.

According to the BSS report, the IMF Managing Director highly praised the leadership of Muhammad Yunus. She said that since Professor Yunus assumed responsibility, Bangladesh’s economy has significantly recovered, and the credit goes to him alone.

Professor Yunus informed that his government has already taken several measures to restructure the banking sector and strengthen revenue collection. He said, “We inherited a devastated and completely collapsed economy. Some individuals literally fled with bags full of money from the banks.”

Recalling the critical economic crisis, the IMF chief said, “Your achievements have impressed me. You have accomplished a lot in a short time. You took charge of the country when the risk of collapse was extremely high. You are the right person at the right time.”

She also recalled her first meeting with Yunus during the United Nations General Assembly in New York last year, saying that the meeting had played an important role in Bangladesh’s path to economic recovery.

The Chief Adviser of the interim government once again assured that the scheduled election would be held on time before Ramadan in February. He further clarified that after the election, he would return to his previous work.

During the call, the IMF chief emphasised the need for reforms in Bangladesh’s banking sector and increasing domestic revenue. She said, “To move to a strong position in this invaluable moment of Bangladesh’s history, bold reforms are indispensable.”

Professor Yunus reiterated that the government has already undertaken structural changes in the banking sector and initiatives to enhance revenue collection. He said, “We inherited a completely broken economy. Some people literally stole and escaped with bags full of money from the banks.”

Regional issues also came up in the discussion. Professor Yunus mentioned the ongoing youth movement in Nepal and Bangladesh’s aspiration to join ASEAN. He also briefed about progress in major infrastructure initiatives, including Dhaka’s new port and terminal projects.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed and Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mozumder were also present during the conversation.