Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said the upcoming February 12 general elections would set a benchmark for all future polls in Bangladesh.

He made the remarks when newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen paid a courtesy call on him at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues, including the forthcoming general elections, recently approved labour law reforms, the proposed Bangladesh–US tariff agreement and the Rohingya crisis.

Highlighting the Interim Government’s preparedness, Professor Yunus said all necessary measures had been taken to ensure a free, fair and transparent election. He noted that the European Union would deploy a large number of election observers and expressed hope that other development partners would also send observers.

“It will be a festive election. It will set the standard for good elections in the future. Let’s keep our fingers crossed,” the Chief Adviser said.

Ambassador Christensen, who arrived in Bangladesh earlier this month, said he looked forward to working with whoever wins the February elections. He praised the Interim Government’s reform initiatives and commended Professor Yunus’s leadership over the past 18 months.

The US envoy also welcomed the newly promulgated labour laws, describing them as a positive step forward.

Professor Yunus thanked US President Donald Trump for lowering tariffs on Bangladeshi exports and expressed hope that ongoing trade talks would lead to further tariff reductions. Ambassador Christensen welcomed the progress in negotiations, stressing that expanded agricultural trade remained a key element of Dhaka–Washington discussions.

The Chief Adviser also lauded continued US humanitarian assistance for more than one million Rohingya Muslims living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh.

Referring to Bangladesh’s strategic location between South and Southeast Asia, Professor Yunus said Dhaka was seeking ASEAN membership and had already applied for a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership with the regional bloc.

He also said he had made serious efforts over the past 18 months to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as a platform for regional economic and political cooperation, expressing hope that the next government would carry the initiative forward.

The meeting also touched upon recent US visa restrictions imposed on 75 countries, including Bangladesh.

National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed were also present.