Keystone-SDA
Parliamentary elections will be held in Bangladesh at the end of 2025 or early 2026, the country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus announced on Monday, four months after the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He first wants to pass reforms.
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December 16, 2024 – 06:14
(Keystone-ATS) The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who took over as head of an interim government in Bangladesh in August after Ms. Hasina fled following a protest movement, was under more pressure larger to set a date.
The 84-year-old “banker to the poor” faces what he called “extremely difficult” the challenge of leading democratic reforms in this South Asian country of some 170 million people.
“The election date could be set for the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026,” Yunus said in a program broadcast on state television.
Reforms before the elections
Her predecessor, who ruled the country with an iron fist, fled by helicopter to India on August 5 as protesters stormed the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka, after weeks of demonstrations.
Hasina’s years in power were marked by widespread human rights violations, including mass detentions and extrajudicial executions of political opponents.
Mr Yunus has set up commissions to oversee a series of reforms he deems necessary and political parties must agree on the date for holding elections. “Throughout my mandate, I have insisted that reforms must be implemented before elections are held,” he said.
“If the political parties agree to organize the elections at an earlier date with minimal reforms, such as the establishment of an impeccable electoral list, the elections could be held before the end of November,” he said. -he added.
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