Govt working to deliver 'inclusive, credible' election: CA Yunus

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus today (29 July) said they are working to build a broad national consensus around a renewed political system — one that delivers 'inclusive, participatory and credible' elections.

"The goal is clear: to establish a society where all Bangladeshis can live in peace, with pride, with freedom, and with dignity," he said while speaking at the 'commemoration and dialogue event', marking the anniversary of the July 2024 events.

Yunus said their work is far from finished. "Alongside our reform agenda, we are pursuing legal accountability for those responsible for gross violations."

But, the chief adviser said, justice is not only about punishment. "Justice is also about ensuring that state power can never again be used to suppress, silence, or destroy its own people."

Political representatives, representatives of victims' families, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman also spoke at the event.

Yunus said as they reflect on this past year, they remember those who gave their lives in pursuit of that vision.

"Their sacrifices paved the way for a new chapter in our history. They have created a new Bangladesh, one that is rooted in hope, human rights and democratic renewal," he said.

The United Nations Human Rights Mission in Dhaka organised the event that brought together senior political leaders, civil society members, youth representatives and international partners.

At the request of the chief adviser, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) undertook an independent fact-finding mission into the events of July-August 2024.

The report of the mission, released on 12 February, presented comprehensive findings and outlined key recommendations aimed at ensuring non-repetition of similar incidents.

"On behalf of the people of Bangladesh, I thank the United Nations for standing with us in our darkest hour, and I look forward to the continued partnership as we move forward," Yunus said.

All gathered at the event to mark the first anniversary of the July Uprising—a moment of profound significance in Bangladesh history.

"It was a moment when thousands of Bangladeshi men and women—most of them young—stood up against tyranny and reclaimed the dignity and future of our country. Their courage spoke not only for our people, but for humanity," Yunus said.

He recognised the steadfast support of the international community, particularly the United Nations, which has always stood beside Bangladesh—from the War of Independence in 1971, to the Rohingya crisis and again during the dark days of July and August last year.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the United Nations set out to define and defend the inalienable rights of all human beings—irrespective of race, religion, sex, or status.

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights emerged as a moral compass for our world, and its principles have long been embedded in our own constitution, Bangladesh's Constitution," said Yunus.

Over the past 16 years, Yunus said, these rights were repeatedly denied to the citizens.

"Our institutions were captured. Freedoms were curtailed. Violence became the prime tool of governance. Last July, our society stood united in rejecting this reality," said the chief adviser, adding that the people of Bangladesh reclaimed their rights with clarity, resolve and immense bravery.

Immediately after the establishment of the interim government in August last year, Yunus formally requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to conduct an independent fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights abuses between 1 July and 15 August.

"We believed that an impartial and credible accounting of the truth was essential—not for justice alone, but also for healing," Yunus said.

The UN High Commissioner's report, released in February, revealed the staggering scale of the atrocities: an estimated 1,400 lives lost in just a few weeks.

The report described the violence as systematic, directed and coordinated from the highest levels of the previous regime. "It raised urgent concerns about potential crimes against humanity," said Yunus.

These findings have been further corroborated by international investigative journalism, including reports by the BBC and Al Jazeera.

"We are grateful to the office of the High Commissioner for not only documenting these abuses, but for offering a comprehensive set of recommendations to help ensure that such violations never, never happen again," said the chief adviser.

He said they have taken these recommendations to heart—not out of obligation to others, but out of responsibility to ourselves.

Since assuming office, our government has begun implementing wide-ranging reforms.

"We have amended the Code of Criminal Procedure and acceded to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Earlier this month, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the OHCHR to establish a facilitating mission in Dhaka," he said.

This mission will provide technical support for reform initiatives, as well as capacity-building for government institutions, local authorities and civil society actors working to safeguard the most precious thing, human rights.

From the earliest days of the interim government, the United Nations has been a vital partner in our transition.

"I thank Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his unwavering support and for his solidarity and his visit to Bangladesh in March of this year," Yunus said.

He also extended his deep appreciation to High Commissioner Volker Turk, the members of the OHCHR Fact-Finding Team, Gwyn Lewis, the UN Resident Coordinator, and of course his friend Huma Khan, Senior Human Rights Adviser, for their extraordinary and historical contributions.