Bangladesh: BNP to hold talks with Yunus, warns against any delay in national election

Dhaka, April 16 (IANS) Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the major political parties in the country, is scheduled to meet the Chief Advisor of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday, reaffirming the party’s stance against any delay in the national election beyond December 2025.

The party will further demand a clear road map to the upcoming election, as per local media reports.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that during the meeting, the party will seek clarity on the interim government's intentions.

“We’ll remind the Chief Advisor of his promise to hold elections by December and urge him to publicly confirm it through a press conference. We’ll also ask him to direct the Election Commission to complete all necessary preparations accordingly,” he added

BNP leaders indicated that if no consensus was reached during the meeting, they would take to the streets to press their demand for the restoration of democracy and for holding the national election this year.

The party has further outlined a series of programmes for the next three months. These programmes will likely be rallies, marches, and processions, beginning at the grassroots, Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported, quoting party insiders.

Expressing serious concern, a BNP standing committee member speaking to UNB on condition of anonymity stated that there is a growing campaign aimed at postponing the national election and keeping the current interim government in power for five years.

He said that the Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury recently claimed that the public wants the interim government to remain for five years, while Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhter went a step ahead, saying that the government was ‘elected’ by people through a mass uprising.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas alleged that the deliberate attempt to delay elections is visible.

“There are people openly talking about keeping Yunus in power for five years. But those trying to do that will not only damage his reputation but also cause serious harm to the country,” said Abbas.

Last month, in a televised address to the nation, Yunus stated that the elections will be held between December 2025 and June 2026. He added that the Consensus Commission is actively gathering opinions on reforms from all political parties.

On Sunday, BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, presiding over the party's standing committee meeting, criticised the ones advocating reforms.

“They are talking about reforms while occupying key posts, being inside air-conditioned rooms at expensive offices. They are propagating reforms while enjoying government benefits like cars, salaries, bonuses, and allowances,” Bangladesh’s leading newspaper The Daily Star reported, quoting Rahman.

Earlier on several occasions, BNP had expressed doubts about the possibility of national parliamentary elections being held in December. The party’s senior leaders alleged a “conspiracy” to delay the polls.

The much-flaunted unity of the political outfits in Bangladesh, which was on full display during the ousting of the democratically-elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, is fading gradually.

--IANS

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