Guwahati: On the eve of the Bangladeshi New Year, the interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus called upon the people of the South Asian nation to work together in creating a discrimination-free Bangladesh, where every citizen is happy, peaceful, and progressive. The lone Nobel laureate of Bangladesh having a population of 170 million and currently functioning as the chief adviser of the caretaker government in Dhaka, Prof Yunus on Sunday, during his special message to the Muslim majority nation, wished everyone a joyous Pohela Boishakh (the first day of Bangla New Year that falls on 14 April).
“Let’s forget the past year’s sorrow and pain and move forward with a new conviction and enthusiasm,” said Prof Yunus, observing that Pohela Boishakh remains a day of harmony and great reunion. He opined that the New Year festival helps the entire nation, irrespective of their religions, castes or creeds, to revitalize with a new spirit and commitment. “Despite differences in beliefs and customs, the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, and the various communities living in the mountains and valleys of Bangladesh are all part of one family, united by a rich diversity of language, culture, and traditions,” he added.
Even though Bangladesh has standardized 14 April as the first day of Bengali New Year 1432, the people of West Bengal (and many other parts of Bharat) observe the day either on 14 or 15 April (of the Gregorian calendar). The Assamese people observe Bohag/ Rongali Bihu to welcome the same new year 1432 (this time starting on 15 April 2025) following the Bhaskarabda era calendar. The era reflects the date of ascension of Bhaskara Barman, the seventh-century ruler of the giant Kamrup kingdom. The State government recognized Bhaskarabda (a lunisolar chart) along with Saka and English calendars.
Earlier, addressing the nation on the occasion of Independence Day (25 March) and Eid-ul-Fitr, Prof Yunus set the road map for a prosperous and inclusive Bangladesh, elaborating the current government’s initiative for a major reform in various sectors. He revealed that the National Consensus Commission (which he leads) began its work and letters were sent to 38 political parties along with the full report and 166 recommendations from six reform commissions. The political parties responded very positively to the reform work, informing the commission which reforms they agreed with and which they differed. The commission’s goal was to identify the areas where political parties are in agreement and prepare a list of these which would be the July Charter.
“Regarding the election, I have said this before and I say it again – the election will take place between December of this year and June of next year. We want the upcoming election to be the most free, fair, and acceptable election in the history of Bangladesh. For this, the Election Commission has already begun making all necessary preparations. I hope that political parties will start preparing for the election with great enthusiasm and energy,” said Prof Yunus.
A source close to Prof Yunus revealed that he wants to have the national election by the middle of next year. Recently, Prof Yunus urged two members of the National Consensus Commission to expedite the reform processes so that the next general election can be conducted by June 2026. The commission is undertaking a series of meetings with different political parties for consensus respecting the public opinions with regards to reform agendas. To date, eight political parties have discussed with the commission where the prime opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is scheduled to talk in the next few days.
Prof Yunus also added during the national address that his goal was to take Bangladesh to unprecedented heights on the world map. To this end, we have expressed our interest in joining ASEAN, he stated, adding that recently Malaysia took over the chairmanship of ASEAN and he discussed this matter with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who extended support for it. Regarding the geographical location of Bangladesh, Prof Yunus commented that it was a fortunate nation bordering India, Nepal, and Bhutan. “If these four countries of South Asia can create a joint economy, all four nations will benefit. Nepal and Bhutan are very eager to supply us with hydropower, and we are equally interested in receiving it,” he added.
Talking about the previous government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who had to flee the country following a massive student-led agitation in July-August 2024, Prof Yunus highlighted the fact-finding report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, where it was clearly reported that around 1,400 people were killed during the protests. “Our July girls, who were at the front lines of the protests, were attacked by security forces and Awami League supporters and were even subjected to sexual abuse,” lamented Prof Yunus, adding that Hasina herself reportedly instructed security officers to kill the protestors.