Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has assured the United States that Bangladesh is fully prepared to hold its next national election in the first half of February 2026, promising it will be “free, fair, and peaceful.”
“The election will be held in February. It will be free, fair and peaceful. The country is fully prepared,” Prof Yunus told US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and US Ambassador-designate to India during a meeting in New York on Monday.
Sergio Gor praised Yunus’s leadership and confirmed US willingness to support Bangladesh’s efforts, said Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
Wide-ranging Talks
Both sides discussed bilateral and regional issues including trade, South Asian cooperation, reviving SAARC, the Rohingya crisis, and disinformation campaigns targeting Dhaka.
Prof Yunus sought continued US support for over one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. US officials assured that life-saving aid will continue.
Yunus also said the interim government is trying to revive SAARC and expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining ASEAN, stressing that closer ties with Nepal, Bhutan, and India’s northeastern states could boost economic growth.
UNGA Visit & Delegation
Prof Yunus arrived in New York on Monday afternoon via an Emirates flight, received at JFK Airport by Bangladesh Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam.
His delegation includes political leaders across parties:
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BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir
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Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher
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National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Dr Tasnim Jara and Akhter Hossen
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Jamaat leader Mohammad Nakibur Rahman (joining from the USA)
Advisers and officials also joined: Dr Asif Nazrul (Law), Md Touhid Hossain (Foreign), Adilur Rahman Khan (Industries), M Fouzul Kabir Khan (Energy), Lutfey Siddiqi (Special Envoy), Dr Khalilur Rahman (National Security), Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun (BIDA chief), M Siraz Uddin Miah (Principal Secretary), Lamiya Morshed (SDG Coordinator), Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, and Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.
Deputy Press Secretary Azad said including opposition leaders in the UNGA delegation shows national unity, helps build understanding, and strengthens Bangladesh’s image abroad.
UNGA Engagements
Prof Yunus will attend several high-level events, including one on Social Business, Youth and Technology, and the annual SDG dinner and award ceremony.
He will deliver Bangladesh’s UNGA speech on September 26. On September 30, the UN will host its first high-level conference on the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, where Bangladesh’s presence will be vital.
Azad noted that with an elected government expected in February, this year’s UNGA comes at a critical moment, providing a platform for unity and for engaging with global leaders and NRBs.
The Chief Adviser is scheduled to return to Dhaka on October 2.
