On revolution anniversary, Bangladesh’s Yunus announces national elections

Interim person says archetypal nationalist polls since overthrow of Sheikh Hasina to beryllium held successful February.

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, has unveiled a roadmap of antiauthoritarian reforms arsenic the federation marks a twelvemonth since a mass uprising toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Rallies, concerts and supplication sessions were held successful the capital, Dhaka, connected Tuesday arsenic radical successful the South Asian federation celebrated what galore called the country’s “second liberation” aft its independency from Pakistan successful 1971.

The day culminated with Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate presiding implicit Bangladesh’s antiauthoritarian overhaul, announcing that helium would constitute to the main predetermination commissioner requesting that nationalist elections beryllium arranged earlier Ramadan successful February.

“We volition measurement into the last and astir important signifier aft delivering this code to you, and that is the transportation of powerfulness to an elected government,” helium said.

Yunus had antecedently said elections would beryllium held successful April, but cardinal governmental parties person been demanding helium clasp them earlier and earlier the Islamic beatified period successful the Muslim-majority federation of 170 cardinal people.

“On behalf of the government, we volition widen each indispensable enactment to guarantee that the predetermination is free, peaceful and celebratory successful spirit,” the interim person added.

Hasina’s regularisation saw wide human rights abuses, including wide detentions and extrajudicial killings of her governmental opponents.

Protests against Hasina’s regularisation began connected July 1, 2024, with assemblage students calling for changes to a quota strategy for nationalist assemblage jobs. They culminated connected August 5, 2024, erstwhile thousands of protesters stormed Hasina’s palace arsenic she escaped by helicopter.

Hasina, 77, fled to India and remains there. She has defied tribunal orders to be her ongoing proceedings connected charges amounting to crimes against humanity.

On Tuesday, Yunus called for radical to prehend the “opportunity” for reform. He besides warned astir radical whom helium said sought to undermine the nation’s gains, saying, “The fallen autocrats and their self-serving allies stay active, conspiring to derail our progress.”

“Dialogue continues with governmental parties and stakeholders connected indispensable reforms, including the governmental and electoral systems,” helium added.

Those gathered successful Dhaka included families of those killed successful the  crackdowns connected past year’s protests. Police were connected precocious alert passim the metropolis with armoured vehicles patrolling the streets to deter immoderate effort by Hasina’s banned Awami League enactment to disrupt the day’s events.

Protesters besides welcomed Yunus’s determination to formally work retired the July Declaration, a 28-point papers that seeks to springiness law designation to the 2024 student-led uprising. He added that trials for those liable for the July killings of 2024 were progressing swiftly.

Fariha Tamanna, 25, said it was “deeply satisfying” to perceive the authorities “acknowledge the uprising”. “There’s inactive a agelong roadworthy ahead. So galore wrongs continue,” she told the AFP quality bureau astatine a rally. “But I inactive clasp connected to hope.”

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies