Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his government’s commitment to holding free, fair, and festive national elections in early February next year.
Speaking at a meeting with a European Parliament delegation led by Mounir Satouri at the State Guest House Jamuna today, Yunus confirmed that the polls will take place before Ramadan.
“The general election will be peaceful, clean, transparent, and festive,” Yunus said, stressing that while some groups were trying to delay the process, the interim government was determined to proceed as planned.
The Chief Adviser highlighted rising public enthusiasm, particularly among young voters, with student union elections being revived in universities after decades. He expressed confidence that February’s election would see record youth turnout, many of them voting for the first time in over 15 years.
“Bangladesh will witness a new beginning through the February election. It will mark a new chapter in our history,” he said.
During the discussion, the Chief Adviser and the MEPs also exchanged views on democratic reforms, EU-Bangladesh ties, and the Rohingya crisis. Yunus urged increased international support, especially to reopen schools in the refugee camps that were recently shut due to funding shortages.
Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi briefed the delegation on recent labour reforms, noting their importance in deepening Bangladesh-EU relations.
The European lawmakers praised the government’s reform efforts over the past 14 months. One MEP described them as “amazing,” while another remarked that Bangladesh was among the few countries where “things are moving in the right direction.”
