Next polls will be best in history: Dr. Yunus

The interim government's Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has said that the upcoming elections in Bangladesh are going to be the best in the country's history. These polls will be regarded as a golden accomplishment and a brilliant milestone in the democratic journey of Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus further said.

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus made the above comments while talking to a delegation team from Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) on Saturday (19 April 2025) in the capital's State Guest House Jamuna.

ANFREL Executive Director Briza Rosales, Elections and Democratic Programs Consultant May Butoy, Senior Program Officer Tharindu Aberatna, Program Officer Ayan Rahman Khan and Program Assistant Afsana Amei consisted of the delegates from ANFREL. ANFREL has been working for ensuring smooth elections, democratic reforms and citizens' affiliations with political rectification for last two decades.

ANFREL officials illustrated their ongoing activities during the meeting with Dr. Muhammad Yunus. They reiterated their pledge to establish independent, uninterrupted and citizens-driven election observations during their conversation with the Chief Adviser. ANFREL also works on mapping stakeholders and engaging Bangladesh's civil society members for ensuring transparency in forthcoming elections.

ANFREL delegates expressed gratitude to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus for sharing his valuable time with them. ANFREL officials expressed their strong optimism to continue working with all concerned platforms to facilitate the arrangement of a free, fair, impartial and credible election in Bangladesh.

It may be recalled that the immediate past regime was heavily criticized both in Bangladesh and outside for holding controversial and voter-less elections one after another. Grim allegations of stuffing ballot boxes the night before polls also glared up through newspapers, online portals and social media. Some other predicaments like widespread corruption, brazen nepotism, political intervention in plundering banks, unabated money laundering, human rights violations and frequent enforced disappearances portrayed a vicious image of the overthrown rulers to Bangladesh's people as well as to international organizations like the European Union, Amnesty International and the United Nations.

Finally the Anti-Discriminatory Students' Movement ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League from power on 5 August 2024. Sheikh Hasina fled away to India on the same day. An interim government headed by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus took oath on 8 August 2024.

>>Agency