Dhaka, Oct 23 (V7N) – Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus held separate meetings with leaders of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the state guesthouse Jamuna on Wednesday to discuss overall preparations for the upcoming general elections, government initiatives, and the implementation process of the July Charter.

During the discussions, both parties also raised issues related to the proposed referendum and the roadmap for the trial of the July massacre.

Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus assured both delegations that he would personally oversee all administrative reshuffles before the election to ensure neutrality. “The interim government will take every necessary step to make the upcoming national election free, fair, and peaceful,” he said. “We seek cooperation from all active political parties, including Jamaat and NCP, to make the election a celebration of democracy.”

Speaking to Jamaat leaders, the Chief Adviser emphasized, “You can rest assured about our neutrality. We have already initiated several steps to ensure a fair and credible election, and more initiatives will follow soon.”

The NCP delegation was led by its Convenor Nahid Islam, accompanied by Chief Organizer for Northern Region Sarjis Alam, Senior Joint Convenor Samanta Sharmin, and Joint Convenor Khaled Saifullah.

The Jamaat delegation was led by Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, with Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General A.T.M. Masum, and central leader Rafiqul Islam Khan in attendance.

From the government side, Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, Legal Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, and Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan were present during both meetings.

At the meeting, Nahid Islam said, “We demand a clear roadmap for the trial of the July massacre and assurance on the implementation of the July Charter before the national election. The government must take firm and transparent measures.”

In response, the Chief Adviser invited the NCP to sign the July Charter, calling it a “historic national document essential for collective progress.” He also assured the NCP that the National Consensus Commission was working on the implementation framework of the Charter. Nahid Islam informed the Chief Adviser that the NCP had already sent a formal letter to the commission seeking discussions with legal experts associated with it.

Shortly after the NCP meeting, the Chief Adviser met with the Jamaat delegation. The Jamaat leaders urged that the referendum on the July Charter be held before the national election.

Dr. Taher said, “The referendum should be conducted before the general election, as many provisions of the July Charter are directly linked to the electoral process. Holding both on the same day may prolong the voting period unnecessarily.”

The Jamaat leaders also expressed full confidence in any decisions made by the Chief Adviser to ensure the neutrality of the election-time administration.

Dr. Yunus reassured both delegations that all administrative changes before the election would be directly supervised by him. He also confirmed that the government was coordinating closely with the Election Commission to take necessary measures for a transparent and credible election.

END/SMA/AJ/