Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has said that the general election scheduled for February 12 will establish a benchmark for future elections in the country, underscoring the interim government’s commitment to a credible democratic process.
He made the remarks during a courtesy call by newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka on Thursday, January 23.
According to Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, the meeting focused on a range of issues, including the upcoming general election, labor laws approved by the interim government, the proposed Bangladesh–United States tariff agreement, and the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
The Chief Adviser said that the government is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election.
He also noted that the European Union is expected to deploy a large number of election observers, while other development partners are also likely to send observer missions.
“This election will be held in a festive atmosphere and will set a standard for credible elections in the future,” Dr. Yunus said, calling for optimism.
Ambassador Christensen said the United States is prepared to work with whichever party forms the next government following the February polls. He praised the interim government’s reform initiatives over the past 18 months and commended Professor Yunus’s leadership. He also welcomed the newly enacted labor laws.
Yunus said that he had expressed appreciation to former US President Donald Trump for reducing tariffs on Bangladeshi exports and voiced hope for further tariff reductions through ongoing bilateral trade negotiations.
Christensen said that progress has been made in trade talks, adding that expanding agricultural trade remains a key pillar of Dhaka–Washington engagement.
On the Rohingya issue, Yunus thanked the United States for its continued humanitarian assistance to more than one million Rohingya refugees living in camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Highlighting the country’s strategic position between South and Southeast Asia, he said the country is seeking ASEAN membership and has applied for sectoral dialogue partnership. He also referred to recent initiatives to revive SAARC and expressed hope that the next government would continue those efforts.
The meeting also included discussions on recent U.S. visa restrictions imposed on 75 countries, including Bangladesh.
National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and SDG Coordinator Lamia Morshed were also present on the occasion.
MU/MHK