Bangladesh ready to hold free, fair polls, CA tells US envoy

NN ONLINE:

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today said his government is prepared to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful general election in the first half of February in Bangladesh as he had a meeting with United States (US) Special Envoy Sergio Gor here.

“The election will be held in February. It will be free, fair, and peaceful. The country is fully prepared,” he told the Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and the US Ambassador-designate to India on Monday (NY time).

Sergio Gor commended the Chief Adviser’s leadership and reiterated the United States’ willingness to support the country’s efforts.During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including trade, South Asian regional cooperation, the revival of SAARC, the Rohingya crisis, and the proliferation of disinformation targeting Dhaka.

The Chief Adviser sought continued US support for more than one million Rohingya refugees currently residing in camps in Cox’s Bazar. In response, the US official said the life-saving aide for the Rohingyas would continue.

Prof Yunus noted that the interim government has intensified efforts to revive SAARC, which has not held a summit in over a decade.He also expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining ASEAN, stating that integration with Southeast Asian economies could significantly accelerate the country’s development.

Additionally, he emphasised the importance of strengthening economic ties with landlocked Nepal and Bhutan, as well as with India’s seven Northeastern states.“We can accelerate our economic growth through closer regional cooperation,” he said. The Chief Adviser extended an invitation to Sergio Gor to visit Bangladesh at his earliest convenience.