Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday said the Interim Government is making comprehensive preparations to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful general election in the first half of February.
The Chief Adviser made these remarks during a meeting in New York with Sergio Gor, the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and the US Ambassador-designate to India.
“The election will be held in February. It will be free, fair, and peaceful. The country is fully prepared,” Professor Yunus told the Special Envoy.
Sergio Gor commended the Chief Adviser’s leadership and reiterated the United States’ willingness to support the country’s efforts.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including trade, South Asian regional cooperation, the revival of SAARC, the Rohingya crisis, and the proliferation of disinformation targeting Dhaka.
The Chief Adviser sought continued US support for more than one million Rohingya refugees currently residing in camps in Cox’s Bazar. In response, the US officials said that their life-saving aide for the Rohingyas would continue.
Professor Yunus noted that the Interim Government has intensified efforts to revive SAARC, which has not held a summit in over a decade. He also expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining ASEAN, stating that integration with Southeast Asian economies could significantly accelerate the country’s development.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of strengthening economic ties with landlocked Nepal and Bhutan, as well as with India’s seven Northeastern states.
“We can accelerate our economic growth through closer regional cooperation,” he said.
The Chief Adviser extended an invitation to Sergio Gor to visit Bangladesh at his earliest convenience.
