Yunus: Reforms Needed Before Elections

Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, has declined to set a timeline for elections following the ouster of his autocratic predecessor, stating in an interview published Tuesday that necessary reforms must be implemented before holding polls. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was appointed "chief advisor" after the student-led uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. Yunus, now 84, is leading a caretaker government tasked with the "extremely tough" challenge of rebuilding democratic institutions.

"We are not aiming for a prolonged stay," Yunus said in an interview with Prothom Alo. "Reforms are essential. If asked to hold elections, we are ready, but it would be wrong to hold them first." 

Hasina's 15-year regime was marked by widespread human rights violations, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents. A preliminary UN report estimates over 600 people were killed in the weeks before her removal, with the actual number likely higher. Hasina's government was also accused of politicizing the judiciary and civil service, and orchestrating rigged elections that eroded democratic checks on her power.

Yunus described inheriting a "completely broken" public administration system, calling for extensive reforms to prevent a future return to autocracy. "Reforms mean we won't allow a repetition of past events," he emphasized.

Addressing concerns about the arrests of numerous politicians, senior police officers, and Hasina loyalists on murder charges, Yunus dismissed allegations that his government would conduct politically motivated trials. He insisted that trials would remain independent of government interference, stating that, "Once the judicial system is reformed, the process of determining trials and ensuring justice will follow."

At least 25 journalists, seen as supporters of Hasina, have been arrested for alleged violence against protesters, prompting criticism from press freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders, which condemned the arrests as "systematic judicial harassment." 

Yunus, however, affirmed his commitment to media freedom, encouraging criticism. "Write as you please," he told the newspaper. "Criticize. If you don’t write, how will we know what is happening?"