ELECTION ONLY AFTER B'DESH OVERHAUL, YUNUS DECLARES

Interim government head Mohammed Yunus says Shaikh Hasina "destroyed everything;" implementing reforms would take time; Hasina extradition will be sought after ICJ verdict; BSF is on high alert

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the regime led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had destroyed everything, adding that he would hold a general election only after ushering in constitutional and judicial reforms, including an electoral overhaul.

"We need comprehensive reforms in the economy, governance, bureaucracy and judiciary (before holding elections)," Yunus said in an exclusive interview with the Japanese newspaper Nikkei Asia published on Saturday, Dhaka Tribune reports.

He said Bangladesh's interim government has established several commissions to promote reforms in areas such as the electoral system, constitution and judiciary and that the government would implement full-scale reforms after receiving recommendations from those commissions by January.