Interim government’s Legal Adviser, Professor Asif Nazrul, has said there is no reason to be alarmed by circulating rumors and speculations. He reaffirmed that the interim government remains firmly committed to holding the national election in February.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Monday, Asif Nazrul made the remarks when asked about recent discussions and speculations regarding meetings between senior state officials.
Earlier in the day, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman paid courtesy calls on President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus. During the meetings, the army chief briefed them about his recent visit to China, according to a responsible source. Following official protocol, the army chief met the president around 11 am at Bangabhaban, as the armed forces’ commander-in-chief is to be informed after any foreign trip by the army chief.
Media reports also suggested that on Sunday, General Waker-uz-Zaman visited Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed at his residence. Asked about this, the legal adviser said he was not aware of such a meeting beyond what he had seen in newspapers and online reports. “There is no reason to be disturbed by these kinds of rumors and speculations,” he said, adding that the army chief frequently meets with the chief adviser and has also met the president before.
Meanwhile, leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) held a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Sunday. Responding to questions about political demands raised afterward, Asif Nazrul said he trusted the political judgment of the parties aligned with the July mass uprising. Differences of opinion had emerged before and were later resolved, he noted, expressing confidence that despite disagreements, unity would prevail when necessary.
Reiterating the interim government’s position, the legal adviser stressed that the national election would be held in February as planned. “The chief adviser has repeatedly said this, and the Election Commission has been instructed accordingly. The commission is taking all necessary steps, and I believe any political differences will be resolved before then,” he added.
