Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has assured the United States that Bangladesh is fully prepared to hold its next national election in the first half of February, pledging a free, fair, and peaceful process under the interim government.

“The election will be held in February. It will be free, fair and peaceful. The country is fully prepared,” Yunus told US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor during a meeting in New York on Monday(September 22).

According to Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Gor praised Yunus’s leadership and reaffirmed Washington’s willingness to support Bangladesh’s democratic process.

The meeting also covered bilateral and regional issues, including trade, South Asian regional cooperation, the revival of SAARC, the Rohingya crisis, and combating disinformation. The chief adviser sought continued US support for the more than one million Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. In response, the US envoy assured that life-saving humanitarian aid for the displaced population would continue.

Yunus highlighted Dhaka’s renewed push to revive SAARC and expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining ASEAN, saying deeper integration with Southeast Asia could accelerate national growth. He also underscored the importance of stronger economic ties with Nepal, Bhutan, and India’s northeastern states.

The chief adviser extended an invitation to Gor to visit Bangladesh at his convenience.

Yunus arrived in New York on Monday afternoon to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), accompanied by a delegation that includes advisers, senior officials, and representatives from major political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

During his UNGA visit, Yunus is scheduled to attend a series of high-level meetings and events, including a session on “Social Business, Youth and Technology” and the annual SDG dinner and award ceremony.

BOB Post