The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the country’s main political parties, is set to meet Chief Advisor of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, on Wednesday, April 16, reports stated.
During the meeting, the party is expected to firmly reiterate its demand that the national election be held no later than December 2025, according to local media reports.
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the party would press Yunus to make a public commitment to the election timeline and direct the Election Commission to begin all necessary preparations accordingly.
“The Chief Adviser promised to us that he has been conducting all the activities with a view to holding the election in December. In no way its alternative is acceptable,” Ahmed said, as quoted by Prothom Alo.
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The BNP will also seek a clear and detailed road map to the elections. Party leaders have warned that if no consensus is reached during the talks, they will launch street protests to demand the restoration of democracy and timely national polls.
According to Bangladeshi media outlet UNB, the BNP has already prepared a three-month programme that includes rallies, marches, and processions starting from the grassroots level.
A BNP standing committee member, speaking to UNB on condition of anonymity, expressed concern over what he described as an organised campaign to delay the national elections and extend the interim government’s tenure to five years. He pointed to recent remarks made by Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, who claimed that the public supports a five-year term for the interim government.
Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhter even described the government as being ‘elected’ through a mass uprising.
Last month, Chief Advisor Yunus stated in a televised address that the national election would be held sometime between December 2025 and June 2026. He also mentioned that the Consensus Commission is gathering input on reforms from all political parties.
However, BNP’s acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, while chairing a party meeting on Sunday, April 13, criticised those advocating for reforms while holding influential positions in the interim setup.
“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,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
The political unity seen during the removal of the Awami League government in August 2024 now appears to be fading, as differences among political stakeholders become more apparent.
