Holding election at the earliest top priority: Yunus tells Bimstec summit

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said holding Bangladesh's next national elections at the earliest possible time is his government's top priority.

"I have assured our people that once our mandate is fulfilled in the conduct of elections as well as implementing necessary reforms, we will hold a free, fair, and participatory election," the chief adviser said while speaking at the Bimstec Summit in Thailand, reports BSS.

Addressing the 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) in Bangkok today (4 April), the chief adviser appealed to the member states to set aside their differences and work together to reinvigorate the organisation.

He also stressed the need for creating a humanitarian channel in the Rakhine state of Myanmar for the smooth supply of basic necessities to people to stop further displacement.

Chief Adviser Yunus left Bangkok this evening, wrapping up his two-day Thailand tour. A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the chief adviser and his entourage departed Bangkok airport at 8:45pm local time.

Bangladesh today assumed the Bimstec chairmanship for the next two years, reaffirming its commitment to advancing regional cooperation and development.

Prof Yunus and other Bimstec leaders also observed one minute of silence, recalling the victims of recent deadly earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand.

Highlighting the aspects of the July uprising in Bangladesh, he said in 1971, hundreds of thousands of ordinary women and men, children and youth made the supreme sacrifice in a nine-month-long genocide, fighting against a brutal military.

Prof Yunus said, "Our people aspired for an inclusive, just and free society where every ordinary person could materialise his or her dreams.

"Sadly, in the course of the past 15 years, our people, especially youth, progressively saw their spaces and rights curtailed. They witnessed deep erosion of almost every state institution and civic rights trampled," he said.

The chief adviser said the common mass brought an end to that brutal authoritarian regime at the expense of the lives of close to 2,000 innocent people, mostly youth, including 118 children.

"The people of Bangladesh witnessed a rebirth in their history," he added.

Prof Yunus said the student leaders, who led the uprising and freed the country from the corrupt and autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina, appealed to him to lead the country during this crucial juncture of the country's history.

"I agreed to take the responsibility for the sake of our people," he added.

The chief adviser said the interim government is pledged to undertake robust and far-reaching reforms to restore economic stability and sustained growth.

"We are committed to good governance, combating corruption and bringing order to every sphere of economy. These are at the core of the reforms we have planned," he said.

The interim government constituted six commissions to recommend reforms to the judiciary, the electoral system, public administration, police, the anti-corruption office, and the constitution to ensure public ownership, accountability and welfare of the people, he said.

Yunus said the commissions have already submitted their recommendations, which are under active consideration by the government.

"We have formed a seven-member 'Jatiya Oaikyamot [Consensus] Commission' headed by me and comprising the chiefs of all the six commissions to consider and adopt the recommendations submitted by the individual commissions," he said.

Yunus said the interim government has also formed four additional commissions recently to make policy recommendations on media, health, labour and women's rights.

"As we rebuild Bangladesh, we will continue to work steadfastly to ensure the constitutional rights of every citizen of the country whether they are women or members of ethnic and religious minorities," he said.

'Humanitarian corridor in Rakhine'

"Given the recent developments in Rakhine State, amidst the warning of UNDP of an impending famine in Rakhine, a humanitarian channel in Rakhine may be established for the supply of basic necessities to the people to stop further displacement from Rakhine," Prof Yunus said at the summit.

He said the protracted Rohingya crisis, if it remains unresolved, has the possibility of creating instability in the whole region.

The chief adviser said Bimstec can promote dialogue to resolve the internal conflicts, particularly between the conflicting parties in Rakhine.

It should take more visible actions to engage Myanmar to bring stability in Rakhine for an enabling environment for return of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar, Yunus said.

He said Bangladesh encourages the meaningful participation of Bimstec member states in the "High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar" under the UN auspices in September 2025.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres undertook a historic visit to Bangladesh on 13-16 March 2025 and expressed complete solidarity with the rights of the Rohingyas to return to Myanmar with dignity and safety, he said.

'Collective efforts to strengthen Bimstec'

"We need a genuinely shared sense of mutual confidence and mutuality of interests, rising above our differences and divergences," Prof Yunus said, reports UNB.

"As Bangladesh assumes the Bimstec chairmanship, I would call upon all of you, indeed to my fellow leaders present, to extend your valued support," said the chief adviser.

Yunus said members need to be driven by the impact and results whatever they undertake or do collectively. They need to rediscover the modalities and institutions of regional and sub-regional collaboration under Bimstec.

Addressing the inequality of incomes and choices and balancing the economy and ecology need to be overriding objectives in pursuing sectoral cooperation.

"While each of our countries pursue our national interests, we also need to appreciate the same of others in shaping and moving our wider cooperative agenda," Yunus said.

In a fast-moving world, he said, comparing the developments of the past decade seems a bit distant past. "Many of the long-held norms, regulations are giving in. I find institutions often struggling to meet people's aspirations."

"In making our institutions fit-for-purpose, I have been advocating for an overhaul of the financial system and also launching innovative social businesses that would uphold dignity and ensure an individual's security, not just augment wealth," the chief adviser said. 

"As much as we facilitate knowledge and technology amongst our seven countries, let us also open up to the world – the governments, the knowledge institutions, foundations, private sector – who would share our values and appreciate our needs," Yunus said.

Bangladesh assumes Bimstec chairmanship

Bangladesh assumed the Bimstec chairmanship for the next two years, reaffirming its commitment to advancing regional cooperation and development, reports UNB.

Upon receiving the chairmanship from the prime minister of Thailand, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus made a statement of acceptance, underscoring an inclusive and action-oriented Bimstec.

The Bimstec comprises seven countries of the Bay of Bengal region – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The chairmanship of Bimstec, which has emerged as a "significant forum" for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region, rotates according to the alphabetical order of the English names of the member states, officials said.

The changeover of chairmanship takes place during the summit, whereby the member state chairing Bimstec hosts the summit and hands over the chairmanship to the member state next in alphabetical order.

The theme of this year's summit – held three years after the 5th summit (held virtually in Colombo on 30 March 2022) – was "Prosperous, Resilient and Open Bimstec".