The interim government is simultaneously preparing for national and local government elections, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus told European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Nicola Beer during a meeting at the state guesthouse Jamuna today. "The interim government is simultaneously preparing for local government elections alongside national polls," Prof Yunus said, according to the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser's Office. Earlier, Yunus had indicated that national elections would be held either at the end of this year or in the first half of next year depending on the extent of reforms the political parties and other stakeholders want. During the meeting, Yunus sought EIB assistance in addressing corruption, advancing the green energy transition, and developing a broader plan for the Sundarbans mangrove forest, its surrounding regions, and river systems. He also requested EIB support in building facilities at Chattogram Port to foster development in eastern Bangladesh and in improving water management in the northern regions. Yunus highlighted that development at port, the largest port in the area, would also benefit eastern India and Myanmar. Nicola Beer assured Prof Yunus of EIB's support in implementing the necessary reforms. "We have come in a very challenging time; we back the interim government and its reform agenda," Nicola Beer said. She added that the EU has the technical expertise to provide assistance. "Everything we can do, please ask," she said. "It is important to make it visible that the interim government of Bangladesh is not only working but also delivering." Yunus also recalled his meeting with EU President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last September, where they discussed areas of support in tackling corruption and transitioning to renewable energy. He further noted his discussions with EU envoys in December last year, during which various avenues for cooperation were explored. Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chairman Ashik Mahmud Chowdhory, Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed, Economic Relations Division Secretary Shahriar Kader Siddiky, and EU Ambassador Michael Miller were among those present at the meeting.