Bangladesh to see ‘best election’ in history: Dr Yunus

Reaffirming the government's commitment to a free and fair election, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said the interim administration is determined to ensure that the upcoming national election serves as a milestone in the country’s democratic progress.

“We want to make sure the election will be the best in Bangladesh’s history and a milestone for the country’s democratic journey,” he told a delegation of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL).

Dr Yunus said Bangladesh will host a "free and fair" election between December 2025 and June 2026.

The ANFREL team met him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Thursday, said the Chief Adviser's Press wing on Saturday.

The ANFREL delegation included its Executive Director, Brizza Rosales, Consultant for the Bangladesh Elections and Democracy Programme, May Butoy, Senior Programme Officer for Campaign and Advocacy, Tharindu Abeyrathna, Programme Officer, Ayan Rahman Khan and Programme Associate, Afsana Amey.

ANFREL, a regional network of civil society organisations dedicated to the advancement of electoral democracy in Asia, has been actively supporting election observation, democratic reforms, and civic engagement across the region for over two decades.

During the meeting, ANFREL shared its ongoing initiatives in Bangladesh, particularly its commitment to rebuilding independent, citizen-led election observation efforts.

The delegation also discussed the ongoing activities to conduct stakeholder mapping and needs assessments aimed at identifying opportunities for strengthening civil society engagement and promoting electoral transparency.

ANFREL expressed its appreciation for the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the Chief Adviser and reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with stakeholders in Bangladesh to support transparent and credible elections.