Government making extensive preparations for elections: Principal Advisor

Principal Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus said that the government is making extensive preparations to hold a free, fair and peaceful general election in the first half of February. He said this in a meeting with US Special Envoy Sergio Gore in New York on Monday (September 22) local time.
Assuring the Special Envoy, he said, “The elections will be held in February itself. The elections will be free, fair and peaceful. The country is ready.”Sergio Gore praised the Principal Advisor’s leadership and reiterated the US commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s efforts.
During the meeting, both sides discussed various bilateral and regional issues. Issues such as trade, South Asian regional cooperation, SAARC revival, Rohingya crisis and disinformation targeting Dhaka came up in the discussions.
The Principal Advisor sought continued US support for the more than one million Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. In response, US officials said that life-saving assistance to the Rohingya would continue.
Professor Yunus said, “The interim government has taken a new initiative to revive SAARC, whose summit has not been held for more than a decade.”
He also said that Bangladesh is keen to join ASEAN because integrating with the economies of Southeast Asia will accelerate the country’s development.
He also stressed on strengthening economic ties with landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan and seven states in northeastern India.
“If we increase regional cooperation, we can accelerate economic growth,” he said. He invited Chief Advisor Sergio Gore to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.
Earlier, Chief Advisor to the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, arrived in New York, USA, at 3 pm local time to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. His traveling companions include six advisors to the interim government and leaders of BNP, Jamaat and NCP. According to the schedule, Professor Yunus will address the UN General Assembly on September 26. On the 27th, he will address a gathering of migrants and on the sidelines of the session, the Head of Government will meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and heads of state and government of several countries. He will also meet US President Donald Trump.