Interim govt cannot afford to fail on reforms: CA

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus stated that without reforms to the state structure, all efforts by the interim government will be ineffective.

"We have no chance to fail (over reforms). We don't want to fail," he told the National Consensus Commission's first meeting with the Foreign Service Academy's political parties here this afternoon.

Prof Yunus said all countries -- small, medium and big ones -- have support the Bangladesh interim government.

"Once we talk to them (global leaders), they ask what you seek, we will give all...we do not want to leave this opportunity," he said.

Calling the reform proposals of the six reform commissions as valuable assets, the chief adviser said all should help the interim government implement the reform proposals.

Prof Yunus also said the recent UN Fact-Finding report has revealed the atrocities of the ousted government.

Referring to his recent visit to Aynaghar, the secret torture cells, he said the Commission on the Inquiry of Enforced Disappearance has presented the experiences of the victims of the enforced disappearance in its report.

He stressed the need to implement the reform proposals so that no one could raise questions about the next elected government.

Keeping that in mind, the chief adviser said decisions on reform proposals should be taken as soon as possible to start work on those.

A BNP delegation, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir participated in the meeting. Representatives from other political parties and the chiefs of the six reform commissions were present at the meeting, too.

On Thursday, the interim government formed the seven-member 'National Consensus Commission', led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, to discuss with the political parties the recommendations of the six commissions aimed at reaching a consensus on a number of political, constitutional and electoral reform agendas.

The other members of the commission are Prof Ali Riaz, head of the Constitutional Reform Commission; Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of Public Administration Reform Commission; Safar Raj Hossain, head of Police Reform Commission; Badiul Alam Majumder, head of Election Reform Commission; Justice Emdadul Haque, head of Judiciary Reform Commission; and Dr Iftekharuzzaman, head of Anti-Corruption Reform Commission.