National Election Should Be Held by December: Army Chief
By Mohammad Shariful Alam Chowdhury : Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has stated that the national election should ideally be held by December this year. Reaffirming his earlier stance on the matter, the general emphasized that the authority to determine the country's future direction belongs to an elected government.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during an officers’ address held at Sena Prangan in Dhaka Cantonment. Officers from various ranks stationed in Dhaka attended the event in person and virtually. Alongside the election issue, several other pressing matters—including regional corridors, port management, and national reforms—were discussed, according to multiple army officials present at the gathering.
On the Rakhine Corridor
Addressing questions about the proposed humanitarian corridor in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, General Waker said any decision regarding such a matter must come from an elected government through a legitimate process. “The national interest must come first,” he said, adding that any step taken should be based on political consensus.
On Mob Violence
Issuing a strong warning against mob violence, the Army Chief declared that the armed forces would adopt a tougher stance on maintaining law and order. “Disorder and violence in the name of public gatherings will no longer be tolerated,” he said.
On Port Management
Speaking about the recent debate surrounding the possible outsourcing of operations at Chattogram Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to foreign companies, the general noted that such decisions should be made by a political government in consultation with local communities and stakeholders.
On Reforms and Eid Security
When asked about ongoing reforms, General Waker clarified that he had no prior knowledge or involvement in any consultation regarding such initiatives. With Eid-ul-Azha approaching, he called on army personnel to ensure that citizens can celebrate in a safe and festive environment.
The Army Chief also reaffirmed that the Bangladesh Army would never engage in any action that could compromise national sovereignty. He urged all members of the armed forces to remain neutral and to carry out any future election-related duties with utmost honesty and integrity.
Concluding his address, General Waker thanked all personnel for performing their duties amid changing circumstances and reiterated the military’s continued cooperation with the interim government.
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