Mon Dec 16 05:35:10 UTC 2024: ## Bangladesh’s Interim Leader Sets Election Timeline, Announces EU Support
**DHAKA, BANGLADESH** – Bangladesh’s national elections are expected to be held between late 2025 and early 2026, according to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The timeline depends on the extent of electoral reforms implemented, he announced in a national address on December 16th, the first Victory Day following the July-August uprising that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus stated that elections could be held as early as late 2025 if only minimal reforms, focusing on a clean voter list, are undertaken. However, a more comprehensive reform process, incorporating recommendations from the Electoral Reforms Commission and achieving national consensus, would push the election date to the first half of 2026.
The address also highlighted a recent historic visit by nineteen European Union ambassadors to Dhaka. This unprecedented gathering signified strong EU support for Bangladesh’s democratic transition and reforms, with the ambassadors expressing their commitment to cooperation. Yunus briefed the EU representatives on the interim government’s initiatives and addressed concerns about misinformation campaigns targeting Bangladesh. He also appealed to EU countries to relocate visa offices closer to Bangladesh to ease difficulties faced by Bangladeshi students seeking higher education in Europe.
Yunus further reported positive developments in Bangladesh’s economy, stating that the interim government has restored confidence among international donor agencies, leading to renewed interest in financial partnerships. He attributed this turnaround to improved confidence and discipline within the banking sector.
The announcement comes as President José Ramos-Horta of East Timor, also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited Dhaka to participate in the Victory Day celebrations. Yunus noted Ramos-Horta’s inspiration from Bangladesh’s Liberation War in East Timor’s own struggle for independence.
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