Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus reaffirmed his government’s commitment to hold the general elections and the referendum as scheduled on 12 February.
He gave the assurance during a meeting with two former senior United States diplomats—Albert Gombis and Morse Tan—at the State Guest House Jamuna late on Tuesday night.
According to the press release, both Albert Gombis and Morse Tan served during the Donald Trump administration.
Yunus said a flood of fake news and deliberate misinformation had created confusion over the polls. He stressed that the Interim Government remained committed to holding the vote on 12 February and to handing over power to an elected government once the results are known.
“No matter who says what, elections will be held on 12 February—not a day before, not a day after,” he said. He added that the polls would be free, fair and peaceful, and held in a festive atmosphere.
Chief Adviser said the Interim Government would stay neutral throughout the election period, ensuring an unbiased administration and a level playing field for all political parties.
Albert Gombis, a former Acting Under Secretary of State, and Morse Tan, a former Ambassador-at-Large, are visiting Bangladesh ahead of the crucial vote.
During the hour-long meeting, they discussed the forthcoming elections, the July Revolution and its aftermath, the rise of young protesters, the July Charter and the referendum, fake news and misinformation surrounding the polls, the Rohingya crisis, and prospects for truth and reconciliation in a post-July Bangladesh.
Professor Yunus said the government had been campaigning for a “Yes” vote in the referendum.
He mentioned that the July Charter—set to be endorsed by the people—would usher in a new era of democratic governance and prevent future autocracy.
Yunus also said supporters of the former autocratic regime were spreading fake news and misinformation to create confusion about the elections.
“But people are alert. Increasingly, they can detect AI-generated misinformation videos,” he added.
Former Under Secretary Gombis agreed that fake news had become “one of the main enemies” of democracy worldwide and stressed the need for greater efforts to counter the threat.
Both diplomats praised the Chief Adviser for his role in steering the country over the past one and a half years. They asked whether a truth and reconciliation process—similar to that of post-apartheid South Africa—might be possible in Bangladesh.
Professor Yunus said he followed South Africa’s process closely as a friend of the late Nelson Mandela, but did not see such an initiative happening in Bangladesh at present due to the continued denial by the former regime of its crimes.
“The time is not right. Truth and reconciliation can only begin when those responsible admit their wrongs, show genuine remorse, and create the proper environment for it,” he said.
“But so far, there is no remorse, no repentance. Instead, they claim the young people killed during the July uprising were killed by terrorists. There are stacks of evidence of their crimes—absolutely barbaric crimes—yet they remain in complete denial” Yunus added.
SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed also attended the meeting.
