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Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus has assured British Member of Parliament Rupa Huq that Bangladesh’s next general election will be free and fair. The assurance was given during a meeting at the state guest house, Jamuna, where Huq had called on him.
Professor Yunus told Huq that people were deprived of their voting rights in the last three elections, resulting in a “fake parliament” with “fake MPs and a fake speaker.” However, he stated that now the people’s voices have been restored.
Huq inquired about the tentative date for the next election, the reform initiatives of the interim government, and the participation process for political parties. Professor Yunus responded that the election could be held either in December 2025 or by mid-2026, depending on the pace of the reforms. He also added that the election date would be determined by how much reform the people want.
Huq expressed her willingness to return to Bangladesh to observe the next election.
Professor Yunus also explained the causes behind the July mass uprising and the suppression faced by the people during the rule of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
James Goldman, the deputy high commissioner of the British High Commission in Dhaka, was also present at the meeting.
Earlier, Huq was part of a UK business delegation that held talks with Bangladesh officials about trade and investment opportunities. The delegation, led by UKBCCI Chairman Iqbal Ahmed OBE and President M G Moula Mia, is currently on a three-day visit to Bangladesh.
Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy to the Chief Advisor, encouraged British businesses, including those of Bangladeshi origin, to invest in Bangladesh, emphasizing the reforms undertaken by the interim government to attract foreign direct investment.
