Dhaka, Dec. 25 -- Bangladeshi journalist Muktadir Rashid has expressed strong optimism about the possibility of holding free and peaceful elections in Bangladesh, asserting that the country should emerge as a democratic nation with fairly elected leadership, free from false propaganda and religious extremism, as the nation gears up to hold their first national election since the ousting of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year during a student-led uprising.

In an interview with ANI, Rashid responded to concerns about ongoing violence and the feasibility of the February 12 elections scheduled by the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, stressing the importance of democracy and fair governance.

"We have to ...