Govt preparing to hold elections in February: Chief Adviser

Interim government chief adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus has said the government is making extensive preparations to hold a free, fair, and peaceful national election in the first half of February next year. He made the remarks on Monday (September 22) during a meeting in New York with Sergio Gor, the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and ambassador-designate to India.

Dr Yunus said, “The election will be held in February. It will be free, fair, and peaceful. The country is fully prepared for this.”

During the meeting, Sergio Gor praised the chief adviser’s leadership and reiterated the US commitment to continue its support for Bangladesh.

The discussion covered various bilateral and regional issues, including trade, South Asian regional cooperation, the revival of SAARC, the Rohingya crisis, and disinformation campaigns targeting Dhaka.

The chief adviser sought continued US support for the more than one million Rohingyas taking shelter in Cox’s Bazar. In response, US officials assured that life-saving assistance for the Rohingyas would be maintained.

Professor Yunus said SAARC has not been able to hold a summit for over a decade, and the interim government is making strong efforts to revive the organisation.

He also said that connectivity with the economies of Southeast Asia could significantly accelerate Bangladesh's development. To this end, Bangladesh has expressed interest in joining ASEAN.

Furthermore, the chief adviser emphasised strengthening economic ties with Nepal, Bhutan, and the seven northeastern states of India.

He said, “By enhancing regional cooperation, we can accelerate our economic growth.”

At the end of the meeting, the chief adviser invited Sergio Gor to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.