Interim government’s Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud has called on public officials to begin preparations for the upcoming national elections and emphasized the urgent need to recover illegal weapons to ensure law and order during the election period.
Speaking at a coordination meeting with government officials in Chattogram on Saturday afternoon, the advisor underscored that the administration’s primary task is to facilitate a free and fair election.
“Our real work is to ensure a good election and maintain law and order,” Mahmud said. “The reforms you are implementing now are by-products. You are able to do these because of the time and opportunity you currently have. But your core responsibility is to begin preparing for the election right away.”
Recalling his role as an advisor during the 1996 caretaker government, Mahmud stressed the importance of recovering illegal arms ahead of the polls.
“It is urgent to begin recovery of illegal weapons. Maintaining law and order will not be possible without this. There are many influential political figures and cadres who won’t willingly surrender their weapons—but illegal weapons must be seized. Legal arms also need to be temporarily deposited during the election period,” he said.
Mahmud also reflected on the short tenure of the interim government, saying, “We will only be here for a short time. But some positive trends have begun. Good governance doesn’t happen overnight. However, we won’t go back to square one. We must move forward, learning from the past.”
During the meeting, the Planning Advisor also raised serious concerns about the viability of Bangladesh’s first underwater tunnel built beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram. He described the project as a “white elephant,” stating that its maintenance costs are not being met by current usage levels.
According to the Roads and Highways Department’s Superintending Engineer Zahid Hossain, vehicle movement through the tunnel remains low. He proposed the expansion of an alternative connecting road to increase traffic.
Mahmud responded critically, saying, “Why are you thinking about this after building the tunnel? Planning should have come first. This has now become a white elephant project. We’re incurring losses every day just to keep it running.”
He further highlighted concerns about costly resorts built near the tunnel’s Anwara end, describing them as “expensive and impractical,” given the sparse population and lack of visitor interest. “Who will go to such a remote area for recreation? We must rethink this,” he added.
He noted that the government is considering handing over the maintenance of these resorts to the private sector, although there has been little interest from potential investors. “Even if they generate no profit, they can at least take care of the maintenance,” he said.
