CA urges armed forces to ensure ‘fear-free, credible’ Feb 12 polls
Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday directed members of the Armed Forces to exercise maximum vigilance to ensure a free, fair and credible election, describing the February 12 referendum and the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election as a critical moment for Bangladesh’s democratic future.
Addressing a views-exchange meeting with senior officers at Army Headquarters in Dhaka, Prof Yunus said the twin polls represented “an extremely critical juncture” and urged the military to play its role with professionalism, neutrality and restraint.
The meeting was held at the Helmet Auditorium and attended by top commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.
“At this sensitive time, the role of the Bangladesh Armed Forces is
crucial in ensuring a free, fair, impartial and festive electoral environment,” Prof Yunus said, expressing confidence that the forces, as a symbol of public trust, would once again carry out their responsibilities with a strong sense of duty, as demonstrated in the past.
He paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War and those who lost their lives during the July–August student-people uprising, and thanked the Armed Forces for their role in maintaining peace and stability across the country.
The military’s actions in controlling the law-and-order situation in what he described as the post-fascist period, he said, would remain a memorable chapter in the nation’s history.
Prof Yunus framed the upcoming referendum and parliamentary election as a decisive turning point in Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
A nation long deprived of meaningful voting rights, he said, had expressed its aspiration to take responsibility for its own future through the July 2024 uprising, and participation in the forthcoming polls would be the ultimate expression of that aspiration.
He said the referendum would allow citizens to voice their views on shaping the future state system, while the Jatiya Sangsad election would enable them to choose representatives to implement those views.
“That is why the significance of the upcoming polls far exceeds that of any election held in the past,” he added.
Highlighting the social context of the vote, Prof Yunus noted that a large number of young voters would be casting ballots for the first time, while many older citizens would be returning to the polls after a prolonged deprivation of voting rights.
Ensuring that every citizen could exercise their franchise without fear, he said, was a historic responsibility of the state.
“In this context, it is our collective responsibility to ensure a fear-free and festive voting environment for all voters,” he said, adding that, considering the country’s overall realities, the Armed Forces would be a crucial partner in fulfilling this responsibility.
The chief adviser also underscored the need to provide maximum support to the civil administration and the Election Commission so that every citizen could vote without intimidation or undue influence.
He instructed the top military leadership to ensure that all field-level decisions during the election period are lawful, restrained and responsible, and urged “utmost caution” so that even the slightest deviation does not undermine public trust in the electoral process.
Calling for collective efforts, Prof Yunus said all concerned must move forward on the path toward a peaceful, stable and democratic Bangladesh.
In the latter part of his address, he spoke about strengthening the Armed Forces, saying their capabilities had been neglected during a prolonged period of authoritarian rule.
“Within a very short time, we have initiated a comprehensive change in this situation,” he said, adding that enhancing and modernising the military to prepare it to face any aggression had been a priority of the interim government since it assumed office.
He said initiatives were underway to establish factories under Armed Forces management to manufacture military arms and equipment, aimed at increasing self-reliance and capacity.
Defence cooperation memoranda, he added, had already been signed with the Netherlands and Malaysia, with processes underway to conclude similar agreements with several other countries, including Italy, Japan and Thailand.
Once these memoranda are signed, Prof Yunus said, the capabilities and operational efficiency of the Armed Forces would increase significantly, expressing hope that future elected governments would continue these initiatives to further strengthen the military.
Earlier, upon his arrival at Army Headquarters, the chief adviser was received by Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Armed Forces Division Principal Staff Officer Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hassan.
Senior officers of the three services and invited guests were also present at the meeting.