Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said that although certain forces were still attempting to delay the polls, the interim government remained resolute in ensuring they proceeded as scheduled.
He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of members of the European Parliament led by Mounir Satouri at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka.
鈥楾he general election will be peaceful, clean, transparent and festive,鈥� the CA said, reaffirming the government鈥檚 commitment to holding a free, fair, transparent and festive general election in the first half of February next year.
鈥榃e have already announced the timeline for the election. It will be held in early February, just before Ramadan,鈥� he said the visiting delegation.
Yunus noted that the growing enthusiasm among the people, particularly the youth, as student body elections had resumed in universities after years 鈥� some after more than three decades.
He expressed confidence that young voters would turn out in record numbers, as this would be the first time in over 15 years that many of them will be casting their ballots.
鈥楤angladesh will witness a new beginning through the February election. It will mark a new chapter in our history, a new journey for the nation,鈥� he said.
During the discussion, chief adviser and the MEPs exchanged views on the government鈥檚 reform initiatives, the European Union鈥檚 continued support for Bangladesh鈥檚 development and democratic transition and the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
The visiting MEPs expressed optimism that the upcoming election could be a pivotal moment for Bangladesh. One lawmaker also praised chief adviser and his team鈥檚 efforts over the past 14 months.
A Dutch MEP remarked that Bangladesh might be among the few countries where 鈥榯hings are moving in the right direction鈥�.
Yunus thanked the EU for its steadfast support and called for increased funding for the more than one million Rohingyas residing in Bangladesh.
In particular, he urged assistance to help reopen schools in the camps, which were recently shut down due to an aid shortfall.
Lutfey Siddiqi, special envoy to the chief adviser, highlighted key labour reforms implemented by the interim government, noting that these steps would be instrumental in strengthening Bangladesh-EU relations.
