THE chief adviser to the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, coming to have said at a meeting with the members of the European Parliament at Jamuna in Dhaka on September 17 that although certain forces were still trying to delay the elections, the government was resolute about holding the national elections in mid-February, before Ramadan, the month of fasting for the Muslims. Such a remark coming from the chief adviser, who in mid-June announced the timing of the election after holding discussions with all stakeholders that eased the problem of confidence that had till then plagued the political quarters, is alarming. This is alarming because the national elections are imperative for social, political and economic stability, which is now lacking, and democratic transition. The interim government was installed on August 8, 2024, three days after the Awami League government had fallen in a mass uprising. And the chief adviser in his address to the nation in June, as on some other occasions, said that it had assumed the responsibility to run the affairs of the state on three mandates: reforms of the state, justice and accountability for the crimes committed by the Awami League government and elections.
The trial of the crimes against humanity that the Awami League government committed has begun. The trial would roll on as any hurried trial would also question the essence of the trial. Reforms of the state governance have reached final stages after much of consultation with stakeholders that involved close to a dozen commissions dealing with several important sectors. While some reforms measures are reported to have already begun, the government would work on the rest after the final touches. And the timing of the national elections has also been announced. The government, in fact, announced the time for election in June. With the government and political parties discussing and deciding some issues, it appears that the country is on the right track towards an elected government for a democratic transition, which is much needed now. Any quarters trying to delay the national elections at such a time means that they have no good intention behind such a move. Because, delaying the national elections, in effect, means delaying an elected government to run the country in a democratic manner. Such a delay is no good for the country. And, such a delay in the holding of the national elections is, therefore, unacceptable.
The chief adviser to the interim government should, therefore, rather, spell out the quarters for people to know. Social, political and cultural forces should also rise up to the occasion unitedly against the forces that are trying to delay the elections. And, the chief adviser to the interim government should do this in the interests of the people and the country.
