High expectation, biggest challenges for interim government
Muhammad Ayub Ali :
High expectation of the people is the biggest challenge for the interim government, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Sunday said while speaking at a seminar titled “The New Bangladesh: Achievements, Challenges, and the Path Ahead” organized by the English daily Dhaka Tribune and supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka.
About the high expectations, he said: “Everyone thinks that this is their government and obviously they hit the streets with all sorts of demands and there is so much pent-up anger among some people.
They just want to let
the government know that ‘we are here. You have to listen to what we say.”
The reforms currently underway in Bangladesh will determine the timeline for the general elections, he said.
“If we say that the election will be held in December 2025 or 2026, it would be insincere on our part. We believe that the reforms, whatever political parties agree upon, will determine the date of the elections,” he said at the panel discussion.
About reforming some of the institutions, he said the economy has recovered “to an extent that the reserve is no longer bleeding and we have stabilized the banking system.
We stabilized like we can see some broader confidence in the banking system, into the whole economy.”
“And we obviously think this government’s plan is to restructure the economy in a way that it can win back the confidence of the global investors,” he said, adding that “that’s why the main aim of this government is to upgrade the labor laws in a way that top multinational company, top companies feel quite ready to invest in Bangladesh.”
On the reform commissions, he said they are expecting them to submit reports by December 31. “Our aim is to take these reports and do a broader consultation with the greater part of the society and reach consensus.
We just want to know what the deliverables are, and what we can actually deliver. We know that it’s not going to end with one election. We need major reforms and it must go on for some years,” he said.
“You have seen it in Nepal. They needed eight years to ratify a new constitution. So, our job would be to reach a consensus among the political parties, and among the bigger section of the society. And then once we know that these reforms we can implement, once we implement it, we will hold the elections,” he said.