Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday said that Awami League will not be able to participate in the upcoming national election as its activities have been banned and its registration suspended by the Election Commission.

Speaking at a meeting with Dutch Vice-Minister for International Cooperation Pascalle Grotenhuis at the State Guest House Jamuna, he highlighted the historic opportunity for a record number of young voters to cast their first ballots, noting that they had been excluded from three rigged elections under previous autocratic regime.

Prof. Yunus emphasized that the interim government is committed to conducting a “free, fair, credible and festive” election in the first half of February.

He described the moment as historic, adding that the youth who had actively participated in the uprising will now have their voices heard through voting.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed strengthening cooperation between Bangladesh and the Netherlands in multiple areas, including agriculture, trade, investment, technology, youth development and social entrepreneurship.

The Dutch Vice-Minister praised Bangladesh’s election preparations, noting that the interim government had only a few months to organize the polls efficiently.

Pascalle Grotenhuis also welcomed the newly enacted labour laws, saying they would make Bangladesh a more attractive destination for Dutch and European investment.

She expressed optimism that a soon-to-be-signed Memorandum of Understanding on Public-Private Partnership with Bangladesh’s investment authorities would pave the way for increased Dutch investment and closer collaboration.

“For 50 years, Bangladesh and the Netherlands were development partners. Now we want to transform this into an equitable partnership in politics, trade and investment,” she said, adding that Dutch companies that previously purchased goods from Dhaka are now seeking to invest and become active partners in Bangladesh’s growth.