Highlighting the importance of improving the electoral system, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday announced the formation six commissions with appointment of six eminent citizens as their heads considering their experience in the respective fields.

"After this, we will continue the process of formation of commissions on various other issues," he said in a televised speech marking the first month of the interim government which was formed on August 8.

The chief adviser said Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar will be the head of Electoral System Reform Commission, Safar Raj Hossain will be the head of Police Administration Reform Commission, Justice Shah Abu Naeem Mominur Rahman will be the head of Judiciary Reform Commission, TIB's Dr Iftekharuzzaman will be the head of Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, Abdul Mueed Chowdhury will be the head of Public Administration Reform Commission, Dr Shahdeen Malik will head of Constitution Reform Commission.

The names of the other members of these commissions will be decided in consultation with the heads of the respective commissions, Prof Yunus said.

"As we believe in people's right to vote and people's ownership, the improvement of the electoral system has been given importance in our reform ideas," Prof Yunus said.

He said reforming four institutions - police administration, public administration, judiciary and anti-corruption commission - is essential for free and fair elections as these institutions are related to the electoral system.

"I believe that the reform of these institutions will also contribute to the establishment of a state system with public ownership, accountability and welfare.

In addition, he said, they feel the need for constitutional reforms to ensure the representation and interests of people from all walks of life and to reflect the message of the July mass uprising.

Prof Yunus said the Election Commission, once fully constituted, is expected to formally begin its work on October 1 and they expect it to be completed within the next three months.

"Based on the Commission's report, the government will hold consultations with major political parties at the next stage," he said adding that at the final stage, the outline of reform ideas will be finalised on the basis of a three-to-seven-day long consultation meeting with students, civil society, representatives of political parties and representatives of the government.

"It will also give an idea of how this outline will be implemented," Prof Yunus said.

Advisory council members, students, workers, representatives of mass movements, representatives of civil society and political parties will be present in the deliberations and consultation meetings of the commissions.

"We believe that this will make the whole nation strong and optimistic in the implementation of the message of the July mass uprising and uniting all to rebuild the state," Prof Yunus said.

He said they have a lot of work ahead of them and they all want to move towards the same goal. "We all want to ensure equal rights to every member of our family, be he/she sweeper, student, teacher or from any religion. This is the main goal of our reforms. Let us quickly implement the goal of this revolution of students, workers and people."

Prof Yunus said in their first month, they may not have been able to move forward with the speed and enthusiasm that they had in view of the actual situation.

"If the law and order situation of the country is kept normal, we hope we can boost our speed a lot. For this reason, I am asking for the cooperation of all the people of the country - teachers, students, farmers, workers, professionals, big businesspeople, small businesspeople, day laborers, housewives," Prof Yunus said.

He said their work is tough, but as a nation they cannot afford to fail this time. "We must succeed. This success will come because of you and it will come because of your cooperation. Our job will be to make your and my dreams come true."

Prof Yunus said they are starting the second month. "In our second month, I will try to create strong confidence in your mind."

"Be patient, I will not tell you this at all. We all get impatient thinking when so much work will be completed. We will be impatient. Why not? But it will work properly. I will show no sign of impatience in work," he said.

Prof Yunus ended her speech sending his greetings to everyone - people of the country, children, teenagers, young people, students, old people, men and women.

Keep factories open; wheels of economy moving

Seeking cooperation from all to keep factories open and economy functional, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said the workers' brothers and sisters have many pains but it will not be right if their main livelihood is about to be stopped while expressing that grief.

"It will not be right if the country's economy is destroyed. We will definitely find a solution to these problems by talking with both the owners and workers," he said in a televised speech to the nation marking the first month of the interim government which was formed on August 8.

"You keep the factory open. You keep the wheels of the economy moving. Let the country's economy stand straight. We will do our best to find a permanent solution to your problem. Our request to the owners, please reach an understanding with the workers. Keep the factory running. Strengthen the poor health of the economy.

Prof Yunus said they are working day and night to improve the law and order situation. He said all the brothers and sisters who were disrupting work by protesting daily in front of his office and the Secretariat to seek a solution for their pain of the last 16 years have responded to his call and stopped the protest.

But, he said, they are again disrupting traffic elsewhere. "I promise not to forget your logical requests. We are committed to addressing all injustice. We will try to solve all the problems as much as possible within our tenure. I again request you to refrain from disrupting normal activities. The nation will be grateful to you."

In order to express their grievances, the workers in the RMG zones and pharmaceutical industry are constantly forcing the operation of these industries to stop, Prof Yunus said.

He said the negative impact it will have on the economy is not at all desirable. Prof Yunus said the institutional structure is almost destroyed.

"Foreign exchange reserves have hit rock bottom. We are trying to give breathing life into this economy. We are also getting responses to our initiative. If our industrial plants are closed down, rendered ineffective at this time, the country's economy will be hit hard. That cannot be desired by anyone," he said.

Acknowledging the pains of workers, Prof Yunus said the government wants to take the pharmaceutical and garment industries to their potential peak and there is no question of weakening these two key industries.

"The pharmaceutical and garment industries are the pride of the country. Through this, our workers' brothers and sisters and their efficiency have impressed the world. Its success has now hindered. We want to remove the obstacles by identifying the problems of these two industries," he said.

Prof Yunus said they will gather foreign buyers and seek their cooperation so that these two industries of Bangladesh can become more reliable than other countries in the world.

"Everything is possible if we can make the labor-owner relationship a reliable and enjoyable one," he said.

He said the first month of the government has passed and from the second month they want to start a new labor-owner relationship as part of building a new Bangladesh.

"It is desired by everyone in the country. We are working towards that goal so that the new generation of the country can move forward with their future without fear," Prof Yunus said.

The Nobel laureate said they have many responsibilities. "We have to work together on a number of issues to build a just society," he said.

Relationship with neighbors should be based on fairness, equality

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday reiterated that they want good relations with India and other neighboring countries.

But, he said, that relationship should be based on fairness and equality.

"With India, we have already started discussions on high-level bilateral cooperation in dealing with floods," Prof Yunus said in a televised speech in the evening marking the first month of his government.

He said he has taken the initiative to revive the SAARC grouping of nations with a view to enhancing regional cooperation in South Asia.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif are among the heads of government that have had telephone conversations with him, Prof Yunus said.

After assuming office, Prof Yunus said, the Heads of Government of various countries congratulated him over the telephone and sent greetings.

Ambassadors and high commissioners stationed in Dhaka met him and assured him of strengthening bilateral cooperation.

"At my request, the government of the United Arab Emirates announced amnesty to 57 Bangladeshis who were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for participating in anti-fascist protests," Prof Yunus said.

Some of them have already returned to the country. "It's very rare."

Prof Yunus said they want the country to be known with respect to the world as a democratic country.

Govt considering formation of Media Commission to safeguard press freedom

Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus announced on Wednesday that the government is actively considering the formation of a media commission to ensure that the media can operate freely and without hindrance.

In a televised speech marking the first month of the interim government, which was established on August 8, Prof. Yunus said, "The formation of a media commission is under active consideration by the government so that the media can perform their duties smoothly, without any obstacles."

He emphasized that the government is committed to supporting the swift investigation and trial of five high-profile murder cases, including the killings of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

Prof. Yunus reiterated the government's commitment to press freedom, noting, "Full freedom of the press and expression has already been ensured. We have made it clear that everyone is free to criticize us openly. We respect all opinions."

Addressing concerns about misuse of laws, Chief Adviser Yunus announced that the government is withdrawing "false" and "harassing" cases filed under the anti-terrorism law and digital or cyber security laws. He also mentioned that a list of repressive laws, including the Cyber Security Act, has been compiled, and these "black laws" will either be repealed or amended soon.

Prof Yunus warns against any action that hurts religious harmony

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said no one should do anything that hurts religious harmony in the country.

"We are a nation of communal harmony. No one should do anything which destroys religious harmony," he said in a televised speech to the nation in the evening.

Prof Yunus said the government is determined to shape a democratic Bangladesh so that "we don't fall into the hands of a dictatorship, so that we can say we live in a democratic country, so that we can all claim that this country is ours. "

"That's what we're working towards. No one should take the law into their own hands," he said.

If someone takes the law into his own hands and creates a chaotic situation in the society, Prof Yunus warned that they will be brought under the law.

He said steps have been taken in order to identify fake freedom fighters, especially those who were less than twelve and a half years of age at the time of the Liberation War.

The fake freedom fighters will be removed from the list of freedom fighters, the Chief Adviser said.