Elections can’t be fruitful without reforms, unity: Chief Adviser

National elections cannot help advance the country if state reform initiatives are not taken simultaneously with election preparations, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said in a live video address given at the two-day dialogue for forming national unity on Friday.

The Forum for Bangladesh Studies (FBS) organised the national dialogue, slated to end Saturday, at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the capital with a focus on “Unity, Reform and Elections.”

Apart from the chief adviser, the interim government’s six other de facto ministers, representatives from 20 political parties, civil society members and people from different walks of life are expected to join the two-day national dialogue.

In his address, Prof Yunus said national unity is needed to formulate reform plans, which in turn would help ease the process for holding elections.

While the reform plans are being formulated, preparations for holding the next general elections can be taken simultaneously, the Nobel Laureate noted adding making a political arrangement for running the country is the government’s main focus.

Every citizen must invest in the reform process, he said urging all to join the initiatives spontaneously.

The national unity has strengthened over the past five months, but it needs to be further improved and cemented to ensure the development of a discrimination-free society.

Professor Yunus also suggested that the minimum voter age should be 17 years.

"To give the youth a voice on deciding their own future, I think the voting age for them should be fixed at 17 years," he said.

"I may or may not choose that age. Suppose, I am in favour of making young people voters early. The more young they are, the more interested they are in change this is my argument. The youth gives them strength," the chief adviser said.

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