Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday urged the electorate to make the February-12 election day the ‘birthday of a new Bangladesh’, saying that voters themselves will write the history of the country’s glorious future.
“Your vote will write the history of Bangladesh’s glorious future. Let this election day be the birthday of a new Bangladesh. Let us make this festive election a reality and establish it as a memorable day in history,” he said in a televised address to the nation in the evening.
Calling on citizens to take ownership of the country’s future, the Chief Adviser encouraged voters to open the door to building a new Bangladesh through their valuable votes.
“The key to the country is in your hands. Use that key wisely. May Allah guide us on the right path,” Prof Yunus said.
He emphasised that a vote in the referendum is not merely a stamp on a piece of paper, but a decisive choice that will shape the future of the next generation, the security of families and the overall direction of the nation.
“The decisions you make today will influence education, employment, justice, democracy, and every level of governance. This is a moment when your rights and responsibilities as citizens come together,” he said, urging people to actively participate in the referendum. “Cast your vote and secure your future.”
“Let us make this historic moment a success through responsibility, awareness, and peaceful participation,” he added.
Prof Yunus said voters should go to polling stations with hope rather than fear, with responsibility instead of apathy, and with unity rather than division.
Only through a ‘free, fair, and credible’ referendum, he said, can the people of Bangladesh demonstrate their ability to determine their own future.
Once the elections are completed, he said, the elected government will promptly assume office, marking the end of the interim government’s responsibilities.
“We will hand over power to the newly elected government with joy and pride, wish them all-out success, and return to our respective work after bidding farewell,” Prof Yunus said, adding that the interim government is eagerly waiting for this auspicious moment.
He also urged voters to attend polling stations in groups with their families, in a festive atmosphere, and to exercise their right to vote freely and without hesitation.
