Shafiqul Alam: Reforms will determine elections timeframe

The reforms currently underway in Bangladesh will determine the timeline for the general elections, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said while highlighting both the achievements and challenges faced by the interim government in the last four months.

“If we say that the election will be held in December 2025 or 2026, it would be insincere on our part. We believe that the reforms, whatever political parties agree upon, will determine the date of the elections,” he said on Sunday at a panel discussion.

Dhaka Tribune organized the event styled “The New Bangladesh: Achievements, Challenges, and the Path Ahead” with the support of the embassy of Norway at the Six Seasons Hotel.

The major challenge of the government is “obviously high expectation” while the main achievement of this government is “a smooth transition”.

“It’s like a smooth landing of a plane caught in turbulent weather,” Shafiqul Alam said.

Manindra Kumar Nath, acting general secretary, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council; Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, Barrister Rumeen Farhana, international affairs secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party; Barrister Fuaad Abdullah, joint member secretary of Amar Bangladesh Party; Nazifa Jannat, coordinator at East West University unit of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement; and Eidul Foysal, coordinator at Dhaka University unit of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement were the other panelists.

Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan moderated the panel while Ambassador of Norway Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen delivered the welcome remarks.

The press secretary dubbed the July-August movement a “seismic shift” in the country and the youths who led the movement “they are the smartest and most talented young leaders we have ever produced in our history.”

“They are now talking about a different political settlement and the biggest challenge for the interim government is to facilitate that change, facilitate a political settlement that would be durable, durable just like the way it like a what have Thomas Jefferson's and James Madison or Alexander Hamilton did in the late 18th century for America,” he said.

About the smooth transition, he said: “Just imagine when Obaidul Kader told parliament that ‘if Hasina is ousted from power, hundreds of thousands of people would be slaughtered’.”

“What we did for the interim government and the greater Bangladesh society is that they acted responsibly. I don't want anyone to be killed in violence. But whatever happened after post August 5, I would appreciate what our political leaders, our society did to act responsibly to manage to minimize the bloodshed,” he said.

“If there are like 10,000 people dead, it will be hard for the country to take a reconciliation path almost impossible.”

About reforming some of the institutions, he said the economy has recovered “to an extent that the reserve is no longer bleeding and we have stabilized the banking system. We stabilized like we can see some broader confidence in the banking system, into the whole economy.”

“And we obviously this government's plan is to restructure the economy in a way that it can win back the confidence of the global investors,” he said, adding that “that’s why the main aim of this government is to upgrade the labor laws in a way that top multinational company, top companies feel quite ready to invest in Bangladesh.”

On the reform commissions, he said they are expecting them to submit reports by December 31.

“Our aim is to take these reports and do a broader consultation with the greater part of the society and reach consensus. We just want to know what are the deliverables, what we can actually deliver. We know that it's not going to end with one election. We need major reforms and it must go on for some years,” he said.

 “You have seen it in Nepal. They needed eight years to ratify a new constitution. So, what our job would be to reach a consensus among the political parties, among the bigger section of the society. And then once we know that these reforms we can implement, once we implement it, we will hold the elections,” he said.

“Lot of questions are there when the election will be held. But what we see is that these reforms will determine the time frame of the election,” he said.

About the high expectations, he said: “Everyone thinks that this is their government and obviously they hit the streets with all sorts of demands and there is so much pent-up anger among some people. They want to just let the government know that ‘we are here. You have to listen to what we say’.”

“Some people say that this is chaos. But it is not chaotic. We say it is a reflection of their high expectations. They want to register their demand in this way and that they know this government would not be as brutal as Hasina (former prime minister). So, they know that the police cannot open fire at them or they cannot lob tear gas at them. So that is why there are so many protests, so many groups of people coming with their new demands every day.”

He, however, lamented that there is a massive misinformation campaign going on.

“We initially saw that the misinformation campaign was not only happening from India, but also some parts - China and also Russia. But now it looks like it is more about the Indian media,” he said.

“What we have done is that we have invited all of them to visit Bangladesh, meet our people, meet the Hindu leaders, meet the minorities to see what kind of country Professor Yunus has been leading over the last four months.”

“But they are not interested,” he said, adding that he had spoken to more than three dozen Indian news outlets in the last few days.

The ambassador of Norway said almost every nation in the world has in their history some make or break moments.

“Bangladesh is probably passing through one such now and I'm hoping the key stakeholders in Bangladesh, some representatives of whom are present here both in the panel and in the audience, will steer the country towards the right direction collectively,” he said.

“Norway has always been a good and old friend of Bangladesh and will remain so in the coming years to support Bangladesh in its onward journey. Our relationship has been elevated from development partnership to business and investments. However, Norway still contributes to Bangladesh development through the UN system and also with some embassies run projects,” Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen said.

“Norway firmly believes in certain collective values like participatory political system, democracy, universal human rights, freedom, expression, equality and non-discrimination and rule of law domestically and also a rule based international order. We also believe in resolving conflicts or reaching some consensus through civilized political dialogue and sometimes does such facilitation internationally. Some people call it the brand Norway,” he said.

Eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan, also chairman of CPD, and former foreign secretary Farooq Sobhan were also present as distinguished guests.