The Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Shafiqul Alam, has said that responsibilities will be handed over to the elected government as soon as possible after the election. He expressed confidence that the transition would not extend beyond February 17 or 18.

He made the remarks at a press briefing held on Thursday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Earlier, a meeting of the Advisory Council was held under the chairmanship of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Voting for the 13th National Parliamentary Election is scheduled for February 12. On the same day, a referendum on the implementation of the July National Charter will also take place.

The Press Secretary explained that the transfer of power could happen very quickly if the elected members of parliament take their oaths within three days. In that case, the leader of the majority party could be invited to take the oath as Prime Minister shortly afterward. According to him, this process could be completed by February 15 or 16, and is unlikely to go beyond February 17 or 18.

Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder also said that the interim government is committed to handing over authority to the elected representatives at the earliest possible time, a position he had already shared earlier.

Meanwhile, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said that the issue of administering the oath to newly elected MPs is a matter of policy decision. He noted that there are two possible options: either a person nominated by the President—such as the Chief Justice—could administer the oath, or the Chief Election Commissioner could do so. However, he pointed out that the latter option may require a three-day wait, something the government would prefer to avoid in order to ensure a swift transition after the election.