Feb 12 polls to set standard for future, CA tells US envoy

Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Muhammad Yunus said the February 12 general elections would set a benchmark for all future polls in Bangladesh, reports BSS.

He made the remarks when the newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent Christensen, paid his maiden courtesy call on the CA at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital on Thursday.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues, including the upcoming general elections, sweeping labour laws approved by the interim government, the planned Bangladesh-US tariff agreement and Rohingya crisis.

The CA also highlighted key foreign policy initiatives of the interim government including Dhaka's planned bid for ASEAN membership, and the need to revive SAARC as a key platform for cooperation in South Asia.

Professor Yunus said the government is fully prepared to hold free, fair, and transparent elections on February 12.

He noted that the European Union would deploy a number of observers and expressed hope that other development partners would send observers to monitor the polls.

"It will be a festive election. It will set the standard for good elections in the future. Let's keep our fingers crossed," the CA said.

In response, Ambassador Christensen, who arrived in Bangladesh earlier this month, said he is looking forward to working with whoever wins the February election.

The US envoy praised the interim government's efforts to implement vital reforms and commended Professor Yunus's leadership over the past 18 months.

Ambassador Christensen also appreciated the newly promulgated labour laws.

Professor Yunus thanked President Donald Trump for lowering tariffs on Bangladeshi exports to the US and expressed hope that the ongoing trade talks would lead to further tariff reductions.

The US ambassador welcomed the progress made in trade negotiations, stressing that expanded agricultural trade remained a cornerstone of the ongoing Dhaka-Washington discussions.

Professor Yunus lauded the United States for its continued humanitarian assistance to more than one million Rohingya Muslims living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh.

Highlighting Bangladesh's strategic position, the CA said Dhaka is seeking ASEAN membership and had already applied for a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership with the regional bloc.

Professor Yunus also said he had made serious efforts over the past 18 months to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to bring the peoples and economies of the region closer together.

The two sides also discussed recent US visa restrictions imposed on 75 countries, including Bangladesh.

National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed were also present at the meeting.