Elections could be held within next 18 months: Army chief

Pledging unwavering support for the interim government to complete essential reforms after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman said that elections could take place within the next 18 months. 

Waker stated during a Monday interview with Reuters at his Dhaka office that he fully supports the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and described a plan to eliminate political influence from the military.  

"I will stand beside him. Come what may. So that he can accomplish his mission," Zaman, bespectacled and dressed in military fatigues, said of Yunus.

Yunus has promised to carry out essential reforms to the judiciary, police and financial institutions, paving the way to hold a free and fair election in the country of 170 million people.

Following the reforms, Waker - who took over as the army chief only weeks before Hasina's ouster - said a transition to democracy should be made between a year and a year-and-a-half, but underlined the need for patience.

"If you ask me, then I will say that should be the time frame by which we should enter into a democratic process," he said.

Yunus and the army chief meet every week and have "very good relations", with the military supporting the government's efforts to stabilise the country after a period of turmoil, said Zaman.

"I'm sure that if we work together, there is no reason why we should fail," he said adding that Bangladesh Army would not intervene politically.

"I will not do anything which is detrimental to my organisation," he said, "I am a professional soldier. I would like to keep my army professional."

In line with sweeping government reforms proposed since Hasina was shunted from power, the army, too, is looking into allegations of wrongdoing by its personnel and has already punished some soldiers, Waker said, without providing further details.

"If there is any serving member who is found guilty, of course I will take action," he said, adding that some military officials may have acted out of line while working at agencies directly controlled by the former prime minister or interior minister.

Bangladesh's armed forces currently come under the defence ministry, which is typically controlled by the prime minister, an arrangement that Waker said a constitutional reform process under the interim government could potentially look to amend.

"The military as a whole must not be used for political purpose ever," he said. "A soldier must not indulge in politics."