Prof Yunus hints announcement on reform, election process this month

Reiterating that required reforms should be accomplished before holding the next national election, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today hinted that they can come up with a kind of announcement this month on the reform and election process.

Referring to the Election Reform Commission, he said there are certain reforms that are required to finish before the election to avoid old-fashioned problems.

In an interactive session with the envoys of European countries Chief Adviser’s Office here, Prof Yunus said they have to wait for the reports of the reform commission to incorporate its proposals in the election process.

He said if the government holds the election now, it will be an old-fashioned one and all the old-fashioned problems will come back.

The chief adviser highlighted the interim government’s commitment to building a new Bangladesh that requires new policies and new institutional framework.

He said the political parties are very interested in holding the election. “We are also interested in holding the election.”

Prof Yunus told the diplomats that he was trying to explain the people about government’s two responsibilities- holding the election and carrying out reforms in various areas.

He said there are 15 different commissions and the government is expecting reports from these commissions by the end of this month to middle of January.

Prof Yunus said they will be ready for the election if the election process reforms are accomplished.

“This is the direction we are going….two processes are moving in the same direction towards our goal,” he said.

At the beginning, Prof Yunus said this is a very exciting moment for Bangladesh as this is the month of Victory.

“And this is a very special occasion to have you all together,” he said.

Prof Yunus said it shows the support to Bangladesh – political, economic and moral support.

He said there is a strong sense of unity that exists in Bangladesh despite some propaganda and misinformation campaign against Bangladesh.

The chief adviser also presented the initiatives the interim government has taken to reform banking, economy and labour sectors before the European diplomats.

The envoys who participated in the meeting are:

Christian Brix Moller, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh; Marie Masdupuy, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh; Achim Tr”ster, Ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh; Antonio Alessandro, Ambassador of Italy to Bangladesh; Gabriel Sistiaga Ochoa de Chinchetru, Ambassador of Spain to Bangladesh; Nicholas Weeks, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh; Michael Miller, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh; Andre Carstens, CDA a.i., Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka.

Heads/Representatives of EU Missions in New Delhi:

Didier VANDERHASSELT, Ambassador of Belgium to Bangladesh; Nikolay Yankov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to Bangladesh; Marje LUUP, Ambassador of Estonia to Bangladesh; Peggy FRANTZEN, Ambassador of Luxembourg to Bangladesh; R>bert Maxi n, Ambassador of Slovakia to Bangladesh; Evagoras Vryonides, High Commissioner-designate of Cyprus to Bangladesh; Gabor Szucs, First Secretary, Dhaka Office of the Hungarian Embassy in New Delhi; Jaroslaw Jerzy Groberek, Counsellor, Poland Embassy in New Delhi; Sofia Batalha, Deputy Head of Mission, Portugal Embassy in New Delhi; Irma Sinkovec, First Secretary, Embassy of Slovenia in New Delhi; Ruxandra CIOCANELEA, Second Secretary, Embassy of Romania in New Delhi.