Ensure free and fair elections while upholding public trust

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday urged the armed forces to play a decisive role in ensuring that the upcoming referendum and the 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for 12 February, are conducted in a free, fair, and genuinely democratic manner.

Addressing a high-level meeting with senior military officials at Army Headquarters, he described the polls as a critical turning point for the country’s democratic future. He stressed that during this sensitive period, the professionalism, neutrality, and sense of responsibility of the armed forces are vital to building public confidence and ensuring a secure and celebratory electoral atmosphere.

“As in the past, the armed forces—long regarded as a symbol of public trust—will carry out their duties with integrity,” Prof Yunus said, adding that the government remains optimistic about their continued commitment, according to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s press wing.

He paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War and the student-led July–August 2024 uprising, acknowledging the military’s longstanding role in maintaining peace and stability. He noted that the armed forces’ contribution to restoring law and order after the era of fascism would remain a memorable chapter in national history.

Describing the referendum and parliamentary elections as exceptionally significant for Bangladesh’s democratic progress, Prof Yunus said decades of denied voting rights had culminated in the aspirations voiced during the July uprising. Through the referendum, citizens will express their views on future governance, while the parliamentary election will allow them to choose representatives capable of realising that vision.

Highlighting the participation of first-time young voters as well as long-disenfranchised older citizens, he underscored the shared responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure a safe, inclusive, and festive voting environment. Given the country’s realities, he said, the armed forces are a key partner in meeting this responsibility.

“A capable, professional, neutral, and citizen-focused military can help deliver a free, fair, and festive election—offering the nation a meaningful democratic gift,” he said, adding that free and credible elections are the foundation of a democratic state.

Prof Yunus also cautioned that decisions at the operational level must remain lawful, measured, and responsible, warning that even minor lapses could undermine public trust. Ensuring a fear-free environment for voters, especially young and long-suppressed citizens, he said, is a historic duty of the state.

He concluded by calling for collective efforts to build a peaceful, stable, and democratic Bangladesh.

The chief adviser also spoke about the broader development of the armed forces, noting steps taken by the interim government to modernise capabilities after years of neglect under past authoritarian regimes. These include initiatives to boost operational readiness, establish domestic military production facilities, and sign defence cooperation agreements with countries such as the Netherlands and Malaysia, with similar deals in progress with Italy, Japan, Thailand, and others.

Prof Yunus was received at the Helmet Auditorium by Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan. Senior officials from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with invited guests, were also present.