Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus stated today that the Interim Government is determined to hold the elections on time and would not postpone the vote in response to any requests.
The Chief Advisor revealed that his government had established two potential election timelines in an interview with a delegation from the International Crisis Group, which was chaired by Dr. Comfort Ero.
He gave the group his word that the dates would not be altered.
According to Prof. Yunus, elections will go place in December if political parties only want a few reforms before the election.
He stated that elections will be held by June of the following year if a more comprehensive reform package is wanted.
“We have no reason to change the election dates,” he added, emphasising that the upcoming elections will be free and fair.
Regarding the Awami League, the Chief Adviser said the Interim Government has no plans to ban the party, but individuals within its leadership accused of crimes, including murder and crimes against humanity, will be tried in Bangladesh’s courts.
He also said the government has not ruled out referring Awami League leaders to the International Criminal Court in The Hague following a UN fact-finding mission that reported potential crimes during the July uprising.
“It is very much on the table,” Prof Yunus said.
The Chief Adviser also shared that the Consensus Building Commission began talks with political parties on Thursday.
He said there are plans to finalise and sign the July Charter, which will guide the government’s policies.
The arrest of Ataullah, the commander of the Rohingya insurgency, last week was hailed by the International Crisis Group as evidence of the Interim Government’s dedication to maintaining peace and stability in the camps for refugees.
Additionally, they emphasized the necessity of deeper cooperation with the Arakan Army, which rules a large portion of Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Professor Yunus stated that Dhaka is trying to organize relief for Rohingya refugees and expressed hope that the problem will receive international attention at the next special UN session on the Rohingya situation.
Dr. Comfort Ero stated that her organization supports Bangladesh in its efforts to combat false information directed at the nation and its interim government.
Although he bemoaned the fact that a large portion of the disinformation campaign against Bangladesh has come from Indian media, the Chief Adviser ended by stating Bangladesh’s wish for close ties with India.
*
Email *
Website
