Chief Adviser to present election roadmap, address the nation on Aug 5
PARBATTA NEWS DESK
Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus will announce the long-anticipated July Declaration and outline a roadmap for the next national election on Aug 5, according to a report published Sunday in Bangladesh Pratidin.
The announcement is scheduled for 5 pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on Manik Mia Avenue, where leaders from all political parties are expected to appear together on one stage.
Citing political sources, Bangladesh Pratidin reported that, following discussions in London, the general election is expected to be held in February, with the formal schedule to be issued in October. The precise date will be determined by the Election Commission.
In preparation for the announcement, Dr Yunus met Thursday night with senior law enforcement officials to review security measures for the event, which is expected to draw as many as five million people. The Inspector General of Police, Baharul Alam, the head of the Special Branch, and other senior officials attended the meeting, where election operational plans were also discussed.
The government is arranging special trains from Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions to bring people to Dhaka for the July Charter event. The trains will be free of charge, as will commuter trains operating between Narayanganj, Faridpur and Joydebpur. The Railway Police and Armed Police Battalion have been ordered to provide additional security for passengers and trains.
More than 700 Armed Police Battalion personnel have been deployed to secure Jamuna, the Chief Adviser’s official residence. Bangladesh Pratidin reported that Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party had initially disagreed over parts of the July Declaration but reached consensus through Dr Yunus’s mediation. The final document will be signed by all political parties.
Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahmed told the paper that public expectations about the election and the July Declaration “will be reflected on Aug 5.” Additional IGP Sardar Tamiz Uddin Ahmed, head of the Railway Police, said “all necessary measures” have been taken to ensure the safety of the special trains, with schedules to be announced by the railway authorities.
On Sunday, a post on the Chief Adviser’s official Facebook page read: “After one year, ‘Thirty-Six July’ has returned. On this day, the much-anticipated ‘July Declaration’ will be announced. To mark the occasion, day-long events will be held across Manik Mia Avenue. Let us all join the celebration of ‘Thirty-Six July’ with our families. Our history, our pride.”
Citing Consensus Commission sources, Bangladesh Pratidin reported that decisions from the first phase of talks to finalise the July Charter have already been sent in writing to political parties, with the second phase to follow shortly.
Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a post that the interim government had finalised the draft July Declaration, which will be presented Tuesday “in the presence of all parties to the mass uprising.”
