CA urges patience, says will hold desirable elections if given time to make reforms

Highlights

• Polls roadmap after electoral reforms
• Govt will seek repatriation of deposed "dictator" Sheikh Hasina from India
• 1,500 dead, around 20,000 injured in mass uprising
• Yunus sees ill-efforts at home, abroad to make govt ineffective
• Minorities were subjected to violence in some cases but it was 'completely exaggerated'
• Interim govt is making every effort to restore economy
• 19,084 officials promoted in 100 days
• 150 corrupt, money launderers identified; investigations begin against 79

In an address to the nation on 100 days of the interim government, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has urged for patience, adding that if given time the interim government will hold the kind of election as desired by the people after completing the necessary reforms.

"I request you to be patient. We would like to create an electoral system that will be followed for ages. As a result, our country will be saved from the annual political crisis," he said today (17 November).

On the issue of reforms, he said as people were expressing their opinions, they would also talk about elections and electoral reforms.

"Reforms are the long-term lifeblood of the nation. Reforms will give the nation, especially our youth, an opportunity to create a new world. Do not deprive the nation," he said.

He said the recommendations of the reform commission, opinions of political parties and people of the country were essential to organising elections. 
 

"For this, I am asking you for the necessary time. Once the decision on electoral reforms is made, you will also get the election roadmap very soon.

"The electoral law will have to be amended based on which part of these recommendations is acceptable to everyone. Parallelly, the process of updating the voter list will continue," the chief adviser said.

He said the interim government has been formed to bring politics into the policy framework and out of the intense desire to create a new environment. 

"Do not deprive the nation of fulfilling this desire," he said.

"The election train has started its journey. It will not stop. But we have to complete many tasks on the way. When this train reaches the last station will depend on how soon we can lay the railway lines for it and that will be through the consensus of the political parties."

He also said, "We have started taking necessary steps to organise elections. The Election Commission will be formed in a few days. From then on all the responsibility of organising the election will fall on them."

The Election Commission can undertake other tasks, including updating the voter list, which are directly related to a free election, he added. 

"For the first time, the government is working to enable expatriate Bangladeshis to exercise their right to vote through postal ballot," he further added.

1,500 dead, around 20,000 injured in mass uprising

"After the July-August revolution, we inherited a country in chaos. Law enforcement forces placed in front of the people to maintain the autocratic rule," he observed.

During the revolution, Dr Yunus said around 1,500 students and workers were martyred. 

"Our government is meticulously collecting data on every death. Approximately 19,931 people were injured in this revolution."

He said arrangements have been made for the treatment of the injured at various specialised hospitals, including 13 in Dhaka.

"Every day, new martyrs are added to the list, having lost their lives due to the tyranny of dictatorship. We'll ensure that every murder is prosecuted. The initiative we have taken to bring those responsible for the July-August murders to trial is progressing well," the chief adviser said.

19,084 officials promoted in 100 days

A total of 19,084 government officers and employees have been promoted in 100 days since the interim government took charge, Yunus said.

He said these promotions have been given at various levels to speed up government activities. 
Also, 13,429 people have been transferred and disciplinary action has been taken against 12,636 people, he added.

'Interim govt making every effort to restore economy'

The interim government is making every effort to restore the economy left in turmoil by the previous government, Yunus said.

The chief adviser further said, "When we started working, the country's economy was in turmoil. Foreign exchange reserves were at rock bottom. Hopefully, this reserve situation is now improving. In the last three months, we have been able to repay nearly $2 billion in foreign debt without touching our reserves. 

"We have reduced the accumulated arrears in fuel oil import from $478 million to $160 million dollars. We are making every effort to restore the economy. Various donor agencies including the World Bank, IMF have already pledged about $8 billion in loans and grants, which will enable our fragile economy to move."

"The National Board of Revenue was struggling to speed up revenue collection in the fragile economic situation that the deposed government has left us. In spite of this, a 9% growth has been achieved in revenue collection till October from the negative situation in July."

150 corrupt, money launderers identified; investigations begin against 79

A list of 150 influential individuals accused of corruption and money laundering has been prepared, with investigations already underway against 79 of them, the CA said.

Yunus also acknowledged the pervasive nature of corruption across all sectors.