‘Interim govt’s tenure to be less than 4 years’

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said that the tenure of the interim government will be less than four years, and their intention is to hold the election as quickly as possible.

“I didn’t say that I will be (in power) for four years. This is the maximum term. But that’s not our intention. Our intention is to get it (hold polls) done as quickly as possible,” he said while responding to a question during an interview with Qatar-based media Al Jazeera.

Prof Yunus said the exact timeframe for the interim government’s tenure has not been determined yet.

“It should be under four years, that’s for sure. It may be less,” he said.

The chief adviser said it is all about what people and political parties want. “If political parties say forget about it (reform), give the election, we will do it,” Prof Yunus said.

Asked if he plans to stand for election, Yunus said, “I am not a politician. I enjoy my role and what I am doing.”

In the interview, Dr Yunus acknowledged the challenges ahead.

“Bangladesh is deep in corruption because of the system that we had for the past 15 years – mismanagement, misgovernance, the destruction of our institutions,” he said, adding that rebuilding the system “point by point, sector by sector” will be a “big task”.