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Chief adviser to the interim government professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday said that a free, fair and participatory election would be arranged in the country as soon as possible after bringing necessary reforms in state system.

He said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina destroyed every institution of the country to stay in power.

‘The main task of the present government is to arrange a fair election as soon as possible. But, before that, a conducive environment must be created by brining major reforms in judiciary, civil administration, law enforcement agencies and mass media,’ he told a meeting with diplomats at a city hotel.

The chief adviser briefed diplomats of different countries and resident representatives of the United Nations’ agencies in Dhaka.

Press secretary to chief adviser Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters about the outcome of the meeting.

After the fall of the Sheikh  Hasina government on August 5, Yunus-led interim government was sworn in on August 8. After assuming office, Yunus briefed foreign diplomats for the first time.

He informed the diplomats that the main task of the interim government was to bring the law and order situation to normalcy.

Professor Yunus said that the situation started to get normal, while he welcomed the probe team of the UN to conduct a fair investigation into the killings during quota reform movement.

Terming August 5 mass uprising the ‘Second Independence’, he said that Bangladesh had started a new journey.

Addressing the ‘Meet & Greet Session’, Yunus said that he took over a country which was in many ways a completely mess. ‘In their efforts to stay in power, the Sheikh Hasina dictatorship destroyed every institution of the country. Judiciary was broken. Democratic rights were suppressed through a brutal decade-and a half long crackdown,’ he said.

Elections were rigged blatantly, while generations of young people grew up without exercising their voting rights, Yunus said.

‘Banks were robbed with full political patronisation. And the state coffer was plundered by abusing power.’

‘A new era has begun as the students impressed upon us their dream of a country, where people, regardless of their political, religious or ethnic identity, will be able to fulfil their aspirations and enjoy full freedom of expression, with the government upholding democracy, justice, human rights and freedom of speech.’

He said that the armed forces would continue to serve in aid of civil power as long as the situation warrants. ‘Our government remains pledge-bound to ensure safety and security of all religious and ethnic groups.’

The chief adviser said that the government had also made it a priority to ensure justice and accountability for all the killings and violence committed during the recent mass uprising.

‘The revolutionary students want us to carry meaningful and deep reforms, which will turn the country into a real and thriving democracy. The task is huge, but doable with the support of all people and international community.’

‘I must succeed. We don’t have any other option,’ he said, adding that the government would also make sincere efforts to promote national reconciliation.

Professor Yunus said that the government would undertake robust and far-reaching economic reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and sustained growth, with priority attached to good governance and combating corruption and mismanagement.

‘Our government will adhere to all international, regional and bilateral instruments it is a party to. Bangladesh shall continue to remain an active proponent of multilateralism, with UN at the core. We look forward to maintaining and enhancing Bangladesh’s contributions to the UN peacekeeping operations.’

‘We need sustained efforts of the international community for Rohingya humanitarian operations and their eventual repatriation to Myanmar, with safety, dignity and full rights,’ the chief adviser continued.

He said that the government would nurture friendly relations with all in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding and shared interests.

‘We call upon our trade and investment partners to maintain their trust in Bangladesh for economic prosperity. For our part, we won’t tolerate any attempt to disrupt the global clothing supply chain in which we are a key player.’

‘We have to create opportunities to build a poverty-free and prosperous new Bangladesh. We do believe that all their friends and partners in the international community will stand by the interim government and people as they chart a new democratic future.’

Sheikh Hasina fled the country—but only after the security forces and her party’s student wing committed the country’s worst civilian massacre since its independence. Hundreds were killed and thousands were injured, he added. Professor Yunus said that hundreds of students had already lost or could lose their eyesight after rubber bullets were shot at their eyes.

Paying his deep respect and homage to all those valiant students and innocent people who made the supreme sacrifice, Yunus said that students of no other countries in recent memory had to pay so much a price for expressing their democratic aspirations, dreaming a discrimination-free, equitable and environmental-friendly nation, where human rights of every citizen were fully protected.