Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has directed the armed forces to perform their duties with utmost caution and professionalism, describing the upcoming referendum and 13th national parliamentary elections on February 12 as an important juncture for the democratic future of Bangladesh.
In his speech at a view-sharing meeting with senior officers of the armed forces at the Army Headquarters’ Helmet Auditorium on Monday, he said that the role of the armed forces in ensuring free, fair, impartial and fear-free elections is particularly important at this time.
Dr. Yunus said that the government is hopeful that the Bangladesh Armed Forces, as a symbol of the people’s trust, will perform the duties entrusted to them with impartiality and responsibility like in the past. He reminded that many citizens who have been deprived of voting rights for a long time and a large number of youth are going to vote for the first time, which gives additional significance to this election.
He said every decision taken at the field level must be legal, restrained and responsible—so that even the slightest deviation does not undermine public trust. He called on the armed forces to work with utmost caution in assisting the Election Commission and the civilian administration.
At the beginning of his speech, the Chief Advisor paid tribute to the martyrs of the Great Liberation War and the July-August student uprising and praised the role of the armed forces in maintaining law and order in recent times. He said that the contribution of the armed forces in maintaining stability in the post-fascist era will be remembered in history.
Dr. Yunus further said that the interim government has prioritized capacity building and modernization of the armed forces. Initiatives have been taken to produce military equipment under its own management and defense cooperation memorandums have been signed with the Netherlands and Malaysia. Similar agreements are under process with several other countries including Italy, Japan and Thailand.
The Chief Advisor was welcomed at the meeting venue by Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Air Chief Marshal Hassan Mahmud Khan, and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan.
Senior officials from the Army, Navy, and Air Force and invited guests were present at the exchange of views.