Photo: Collected
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced on Thursday that national elections could be held in December if political parties consent to limited reforms beforehand, or by June 2025 otherwise. Speaking at the state guesthouse Jamuna during a meeting with former US diplomats William B Milam and Jon Danilowicz, Yunus outlined the timeline tied to a forthcoming “July Charter.”
“The July Charter will guide us,” he said, explaining that it would emerge from dialogues on reforms proposed by six commissions. The interim government plans to implement some of these recommendations, leaving the rest for elected governments to address.
Milam, president of the US-based nonprofit Right to Freedom, and Danilowicz, its executive director, briefed Yunus on their group’s human rights work and plans to expand efforts in Bangladesh to support its democratic transition.
Yunus praised their commitment to advancing human rights and democratic values in the country. Milam, a former US ambassador to Bangladesh in the early 1990s, commended the interim government’s reform agenda.
“The July uprising has opened doors for sweeping reforms and true democracy,” he said. Danilowicz, once a US deputy ambassador in Dhaka, emphasised the need for positive narratives and robust measures against fake news and disinformation.
The discussion also covered Bangladesh-US relations, the Rohingya crisis, declining aid for Myanmar refugees, efforts to recover billions stolen under the previous regime, Yunus’s push to revive SAARC, and potential election dates.
Messenger/JRTarek
