Chief Adviser of interim government, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has stated that while discussions have taken place within the Advisory Council about the government’s tenure and the timing of the next election, no official decision has been made. The final decision, he added, will be announced by the government.

In an exclusive interview with Voice of America Bangla in New York, following his address at the UN General Assembly, Yunus said, “We have discussed it, but no decision has been made yet.” The interview, conducted on Friday, was published on Tuesday.

On Bangladesh’s relations with India, Yunus said the two countries share a mutual interest in maintaining close ties but acknowledged challenges such as border shootings. “We don’t believe the Indian government does this intentionally. We aim to eliminate the causes of such incidents,” he said.

Addressing Bangladesh's recent mass uprising led by students, Yunus said youth leadership is essential. “They should be running the country. I’m not saying they are, but they should be,” he stated.

Yunus also explained the decision to grant magistracy powers to military officers amid the unrest following the uprising, saying it was necessary due to the police force’s inability to maintain law and order after public discontent over the killing of students. The army was granted these powers for two months to help stabilize the situation.

Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan