Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has reiterated that the national election will be held on February 12 as scheduled. Speaking with US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor, Yunus said citizens are eager to exercise their voting rights, which had been suppressed under previous authoritarian rule. The half-hour conversation covered bilateral trade, tariff issues, democratic transition, and the killing of young political activist Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi.

During the call, Envoy Gor, who also serves as the US Ambassador to India, congratulated Yunus for leading recent trade negotiations that reduced reciprocal tariffs on Bangladeshi goods to 20 percent. He also mentioned the large funeral gathering for Hadi. Yunus accused supporters of the ousted regime of spending heavily to disrupt the election and inciting violence from abroad, but assured that the interim government is fully prepared to maintain order.

Yunus emphasized that with only 50 days remaining, the administration is focused on ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful election that will mark a milestone in Bangladesh’s democratic journey.