Principal Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his commitment to make the upcoming parliamentary elections free, fair and inclusive. He made the pledge during a meeting with British Minister for International Development Baroness Jenny Chapman at the state guest house Jamuna in the capital on Thursday evening.

The two leaders discussed a variety of issues during the meeting, including the February general elections, preventing illegal immigration, expanding trade, the Rohingya crisis, and increasing cooperation in the aviation and maritime sectors.

Professor Yunus said the elections will be held as scheduled in the first half of February. He stressed that the elections will be inclusive and participatory, and voter turnout will be high.

He said the elections will be participatory. There will be a large voter turnout. He also said that millions of young people will exercise their right to vote for the first time. They did not have the opportunity to vote in the three rigged elections of the last 16 years of dictatorship.

The chief advisor said that the Awami League will not be able to participate in the elections as its activities are suspended under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and the Election Commission has also removed the party from the list of registered political parties.

The meeting also highlighted the potential for increasing trade and cooperation between Dhaka and London. The chief advisor said that Bangladesh is purchasing a research ship from the UK for marine research in the Bay of Bengal.

Minister Chapman called for stronger ties between the two countries in the aviation sector and said that the head of Airbus International will visit Bangladesh soon.

The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Dr. Khalilur Rahman, SDG Coordinator Lamia Morshed, and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook.