Yunus promises Europeans of 'fair, transparent, festive' general election in February

Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his commitment to holding a “free, fair, transparent, and festive” parliamentary election in the first half of February next year in a meeting with a European Parliament delegation.

On Wednesday, the chief advisor assured the delegation, led by MEP Mounir Satouri, that the interim government would organise the election as scheduled, despite attempts by some groups to delay the vote, a media statement from his office said.

Yunus was quoted as saying, “We have already announced the election timetable. The election will take place at the start of February, just before Ramadan.”

He added that the excitement surrounding the election was growing, especially among the youth, with student union elections taking place in universities after decades.

Yunus expressed confidence that young voters would turn out in record numbers, many of them voting for the first time in over 15 years.

“This election will mark a new beginning for Bangladesh, opening a new chapter in our history,” he said.

The meeting also covered ongoing EU support for democratic reforms, Bangladesh’s development, and the Rohingya crisis.

MEPs praised the government’s efforts and expressed hope that the upcoming elections would be a key turning point for the country.

Yunus also thanked the EU for its unwavering support and called for additional aid for the over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, particularly to reopen schools closed due to a lack of funding.