Highlighting the importance of required reforms, interim
government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday conveyed to the
international partners that they will hold a "free, fair
participatory" election as soon as they can complete their "mandate"
to carry out "vital reforms."
“In their efforts to stay in power, the Sheikh Hasina
dictatorship destroyed every institution of the country. Judiciary was broken.
Democratic rights were suppressed through a brutal decade-and a half long
crackdown,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters
quoting him as conveying to the diplomats.
Shafiqul Alam briefed the media. Director General of the
Public Diplomacy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seheli Sabrin and Chief
Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir were also present.
Over 50 diplomats including representatives of the UN
agencies were present.
While briefing the diplomats for the first time since the
formation of interim government on August 5, Prof Yunus said he took over a
country which was in many ways a complete mess.
He put emphasis on required reforms in the Election
Commission, judiciary, civil administration, security forces and media.
The chief adviser said elections were rigged blatantly and
generations of young people grew up without exercising their voting rights.
“Banks were robbed with full political patronisation. And
the state coffer was plundered by abusing power,” said Prof Yunus, adding that
they will also make sincere efforts to promote national reconciliation.
Prof Yunus said they will undertake robust and far-reaching
economic reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and sustained growth, with
priority attached to good governance and combating corruption and
mismanagement.
He said they will uphold and promote all their international
legal obligations, including international humanitarian law and international
human rights law.
"Our government will adhere to all international,
regional and bilateral instruments it is a party to. Bangladesh shall continue
to remain an active proponent of multilateralism, with the UN at the
core," Prof Yunus said.
He said the interim government will look forward to
maintaining and enhancing Bangladesh’s contributions to the UN peacekeeping
operations.
On the Rohingya issue, he said their government will
continue to support the million plus Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh.
"We need sustained efforts of the international
community for Rohingya humanitarian operations and their eventual repatriation
to their homeland, Myanmar, with safety, dignity and full rights," Yunus
said.
Prof Yunus is encouraged by the words of support by their
international friends and partners.
"Our government will nurture friendly relations with
all countries in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding and shared
interests," he said.
He called upon their trade and investment partners to
maintain their trust in Bangladesh for economic prosperity.
Prof Yunus said they won't tolerate any attempt to disrupt
the global clothing supply chain in which they are a key player.
“Bangladesh stands at the crossroads of a new beginning. Our
valiant students and people deserve a lasting transformation of our nation. It
is a difficult journey and we need your help along the way. We need to fulfill
their aspirations. The sooner the better,” he said, adding that they have to
create opportunities to build a poverty-free and prosperous new Bangladesh.
“We believe all our friends and partners in the
international community will stand by our government and people as we chart a
new democratic future,” said Prof Yunus.
Prof Yunus paid deep respect and homage to all those valiant
students and innocent people who made the supreme sacrifice.
“Students of no other countries in our recent memory had to
pay so much a price for expressing their democratic aspirations, dreaming a
discrimination-free, equitable and environmentally-friendly nation where human
rights of every citizen are fully protected,” he said.
Top priority of the Interim Government would be to bring the
law-and-order situation under control. “We will be close to normalcy within a
short period of time, with the unwavering support of our people and patriotic
armed forces,” Prof Yunus said.
The police force has also resumed their operations. The
armed forces will continue to serve in aid of civil power as long as the
situation warrants.
“Our government remains pledge-bound to ensure safety and
security of all religious and ethnic groups,” he said.
He said they have also made it a priority to ensure justice
and accountability for all the killings and violence committed during the
recent mass uprising.
Prof Yunus has spoken to the UN human rights Chief Volker
Turk and welcomed the UN rights office's move to send an UN-led fact-finding
mission.
“We want an impartial and internationally credible
investigation into the massacre and subsequent due judicial processes. We will
provide whatever support the UN investigators need,” he said.
“The revolutionary students want us to carry meaningful and
deep reforms, which will turn the country into a real and thriving democracy.
The task is huge, but doable with the support of all people and the
international community,” Prof Yunus said, adding that “We must succeed. We
don’t have any other option.”
The chief adviser said he has taken up the responsibility at
the request of the students. He paid deep respect to those who made supreme
sacrifices in the recent student movement.
He sought the international community’s support to rebuild
Bangladesh.
He conveyed to the diplomats that it was the second
revolution after 1971 and the previous government left the country in a
“complete mess.”
Prof Yunus said they want to build a poverty-free and
prosperous Bangladesh, adding that they are now close to normalcy.
He exchanged pleasantries with the diplomats at the event.
