Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the Caretaker Government, has stated that not all political parties in the country want elections in December; only one particular party is demanding it. He made this remark on Thursday (May 29) during a session on Bangladesh’s elections at the “Future of Asia” forum organized by Nikkei in Japan.
The question-and-answer session was broadcast by state-run BTV and private television channels in Dhaka.
Dr. Yunus explained that the caretaker government is working towards three main goals: reform, justice, and elections. He mentioned that the national parliamentary elections are likely to be held either at the end of this year in December or, at the latest, by June next year. However, the timing of the election depends on how much reform has been achieved.
He said, “If we want to hold elections while keeping the country and institutions in their current state, then elections can be held in December. If we carry out some reforms quickly and postpone others, December elections are still possible. But if we want thorough reforms, then we need to wait another six months.”
Dr. Yunus added, “Some want to hold elections in December without completing reforms, but this is not the view of all political parties—only one party is insisting on this.”
He reiterated that he has no political ambitions and that he will hand over power to an elected government through the election process.
