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Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said the second phase of the interim government has officially begun, with its primary objective now being to ensure a free, fair and impartial national election.
He made the remarks in his opening speech at a meeting of the Advisory Council held at the Secretariat on Thursday. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters following the meeting, which was the second to be held at the Secretariat since the government assumed office.
According to the press secretary, Prof Yunus said the first chapter of the government ended on Tuesday, and a letter was sent to the Election Commission on Wednesday, requesting the national polls be held before Ramadan begins in February.
“The second phase of our government starts today, and the foremost task is to ensure the smooth conduct of election,” Prof Yunus said, adding that efforts towards reform and justice would continue in parallel.
Reform, trials, and updates
The chief adviser highlighted two key ongoing tasks: reforms and trials. Political analyst and reform coordinator Prof Ali Riaz will hold a press conference to outline progress on the July Charter, particularly on constitutional reforms.
Meanwhile, Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, will continue to update the public on war crimes trials. So far, four cases are under trial, 27 are in the investigation stage, and charge sheets have been submitted in 16 cases. The advisory council is closely monitoring progress on these matters.
Election preparations
Responding to queries, Shafiqul said the government is holding frequent meetings in preparation for the upcoming polls. “The chief adviser himself has held two meetings in the last month.”
Currently, 800,000 members of law enforcement are expected to be deployed for election duty — a number that may rise by 50,000. The army has agreed to provide 60,000 personnel, and additional reinforcements may also be considered.
When asked about political parties’ reactions to the proposed schedule, Shafiqul said they welcomed the government’s move.
“The government will do everything possible to deliver the best election,” he added. The Election Commission and administrative bodies have already started their preparations.
Congratulatory motions
Two congratulatory proposals were passed at Thursday’s meeting. Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin was praised for his role in lowering the US counter-tariff from 35% to 20%. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki was also congratulated for successfully overseeing the 36-day July programme.
Govt’s record of implementation
The press secretary informed reporters that since the interim government assumed office on August 8 last year, the Advisory Council has taken 315 decisions, of which 247 (78.41%) have been implemented — a record since independence.
Regarding the 11th Reform Commission’s 121 immediately actionable recommendations, 16 have already been implemented, 85 are in process, 10 are partially implemented, and discussions are ongoing about the remaining 10.
Honour for Milestone teacher
An award will be introduced in the name of Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher of Milestone School and College who died in a warplane crash at the institution. The Ministry of Education will launch the award in her memory, the press secretary said. The crash also claimed the lives of another teacher and a school-nanny.
University name changed
In the meeting, the name of Gazipur Digital University was officially changed to the University of Frontier Technology Bangladesh.
Financial aid rule for July martyrs
The government is formulating a rule to ensure proper financial assistance to the families of those martyred in the July uprising. “The rule will specify how much the spouse or parents of a martyr will receive,” said Shafiqul.
Sheikh Hasina’s trial
Responding to a question about the trial of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the press secretary said: “The goal of the interim government is to bring her back to the country and ensure justice.”
He claimed that international media reports by Al Jazeera and BBC have exposed Hasina’s alleged actions, including orders to use lethal force, and “the world now knows this.”
Asked about claims of administrative collapse over the past year, Shafiqul countered by highlighting key achievements: food reserves rose from 1.8 million tons to 2.1 million tons; $4 billion in foreign debt was repaid for the first time; and inflation has dropped below 10%.
“The banking sector is improving, reserves are increasing — the bureaucracy has made this possible. If the administration had collapsed, it wouldn’t have been able to handle six major floods,” he said.
When asked why the army was deployed despite police presence, the press secretary clarified that such deployment is a common feature during interim governments.