By Motaher Hossain

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government through the collective movement of students and citizens, an interim government led by Nobel laureate economist Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus took over the responsibility of governing the state. Upon assuming responsibility, Dr. Yunus initiated various tough and seemingly impossible steps to reform the state's structure to meet public aspirations. These steps were also demands of the students, the public, and several political parties.

In the first phase, six reform commissions were formed, comprising eminent personalities from relevant sectors. Subsequently, six more reform commissions were created. The commissions have already held multiple meetings with stakeholders to gather opinions. According to the deadlines set for these six commissions, their final reports, containing recommendations, were supposed to be submitted to the Chief Advisor by December 31 of the previous year. However, none of the commissions could meet the deadline.

According to the Cabinet Division, the commissions have extended their deadlines to submit their reports. Meanwhile, the commissions have assured that the reports will be submitted within the current month.

However, through a notification from the Cabinet Division, the deadline for submitting the commission's report has been extended until January 15 of this month."

According to the Chief Advisor's announcement, after receiving the final reports from these six reform commissions, the newly declared "National Consensus Building Commission" will initiate dialogues with political parties, student representatives, civil society, and other stakeholders. The Chief Advisor, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, will chair the National Consensus Building Commission, with the Vice-Chair being Professor Ali Riaz, head of the Constitutional Reform Commission. Other members will include Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar (Election System Reform Commission), Safar Raj Hossain (Police Reform Commission), Justice Shah Abu Naim Mominur Rahman (Judiciary Reform Commission), Dr. Iftekharuzzaman (Anti-Corruption Reform Commission), and Abdul Muid Chowdhury (Public Administration Reform Commission).

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, the head of the Election System Reform Commission, previously told the media that his commission would submit its report within this month (January). Abu Momtaz Sadeq Uddin Ahmed from the Police Reform Commission mentioned that they have extended the deadline until January 15. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman from the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission said their report would be submitted by January 7. Similarly, the Constitutional Reform Commission has stated that it will submit its report within the first half of January.

After coming to power on August 8 last year through a student-citizen uprising, the interim government announced various reforms. On September 11, the Chief Advisor, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, announced the formation of six reform commissions in his speech to the nation. These were the Election System Reform Commission, Police Reform Commission, Judiciary Reform Commission, Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, Public Administration Reform Commission, and Constitutional Reform Commission. Later, on October 17, the government announced four more reform commissions—Health Reform Commission, Media Reform Commission, Labor Rights Reform Commission, and Women's Rights Reform Commission. These commissions took about a month to become fully operational, and on November 18, notifications were issued for their full-fledged formation, including the Local Government Reform Commission. The newly formed commissions were instructed to submit their reports by February. In total, the government has formed 12 reform commissions.

On December 16, Victory Day, in his speech to the nation, the Chief Advisor announced the formation of the "National Consensus Building Commission" to establish national consensus. He stated that the commission's task would be to engage in discussions with political parties and other stakeholders, identify agreed-upon issues, and recommend implementation measures. In the same speech, the Chief Advisor hinted at the potential timeline for the next national parliamentary elections, suggesting they could take place between late 2025 and early 2026.

During a video conference with officials from 31 districts across four divisions on December 31, the Chief Advisor mentioned that after receiving the reports from the reform commissions, discussions with political parties and citizens would begin. This process is expected to create a conducive environment for elections.

Historically, elections in Bangladesh, whether conducted under local governments, caretaker governments, or otherwise, have been fraught with allegations of vote rigging, ballot snatching, and other irregularities. Political parties often claim that elections were not free, fair, or impartial. Even during the caretaker government periods (1991, 1996, and 2001), such complaints were prevalent.

Ensuring a "level playing field" for elections remains a significant challenge, especially if a government-affiliated party participates in the election. After the abolition of the constitutional provision for caretaker governments, public demands for free and fair elections intensified, but successive governments, particularly the Awami League, disregarded these demands and conducted elections as per their preferences, leading to adverse outcomes.

To ensure credible elections, this interim government must address the fundamental concerns of the public with efficiency and fulfill the promises made to the citizens. Additionally, introducing accountability for the Election Commission and evaluating the actions of previous commissions are critical steps. People's aspirations can only be realized through the establishment of a "political government."

Finally, the interim government must act promptly to implement the necessary reforms and achieve its goals for elections, as delays might undermine public trust and support.

The writer is a, Journalist, General Secretary–Bangladesh Climate Journalist Forum.