Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday said the Election Commission has started preparations to hold the national parliamentary elections at the end of this year or in the first half of the next year.

“We want the upcoming election to be the most free, fair, and credible election in the history of Bangladesh. We hope that political parties will start preparing for the elections with great enthusiasm and excitement,” he said in a speech to the nation on the occasion of Independence Day and Eid-ul-Fitr.

At the same time, reaffirming his commitment to prosecuting those responsible for July mass killings, the chief adviser said: “I want to assure you that those involved in these killings, those who have killed people indiscriminately, and those who have already been recognized as murderers by the world will certainly be brought to justice.”

Highlighting the progress of the National Consensus Commission’s work, Yunus said: “The process of gathering opinions from all political parties through the Consensus Commission is currently underway. The commission’s goal is to identify issues on which political parties have reached a consensus and prepare a list of those issues. The signatures of the parties that agree will be collected. This list will be known as the July Charter. 

“Our responsibility is to present the entire process transparently to the nation and organize the elections upon completion of this process.”

Stating that letters have been sent to 38 political parties along with 166 recommendations and a full report from six reform commissions, he said: “Meetings with political parties have already begun. The political parties of the country have responded very positively to the reform efforts and are expressing their opinions.”

Welcoming the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on the July uprising, the chief adviser said: “The interim government is seriously considering the recommendations made in the report.”

Dr Yunus continued: “The report has clearly revealed that Sheikh Hasina herself instructed security forces to kill protesters. The previous government, the Awami League, and its allied groups and organizations were collectively involved in systematic and severe human rights violations. According to the High Commissioner’s report, nearly 1,400 people were killed during the protests, including approximately 13% children. 

“Being at the forefront of the protests, our July daughters were attacked by security forces and Awami League supporters and were even subjected to sexual violence.”

“Reading the UN report has sent chills down everyone’s spine. Such horror. How could a prime minister order the killing of unarmed citizens of her own country and the disposal of their bodies? In her desperation to cling to power, she has surpassed all forms of brutality—this is what the UN report has revealed,” the chief adviser added.