Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday reiterated that holding national elections before December is both possible and necessary, urging the interim government to expedite the process through a broad-based political consensus.
Speaking at a public discussion hosted by the Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ahmed argued that most of the necessary electoral reforms—excluding constitutional amendments—could be implemented within a month if all political stakeholders cooperate. “There is no valid reason to delay the elections beyond December. If consensus-driven reforms are adopted quickly, there’s nothing stopping us from conducting polls before year-end,” said Salahuddin, a BNP Standing Committee member.
His remarks come amid rising pressure on the interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, to set a concrete election timeline. The BNP, emboldened by its grassroots support and confident of electoral gains, has consistently pushed for elections by December 2025. However, Yunus and his administration have remained cautious, calling for deeper democratic reforms before holding any national vote. The interim government has floated the idea of delaying elections until June 2026, citing political instability and administrative challenges.
BNP Mobilizes Public Sentiment
Last month, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman addressed party supporters virtually from London, urging the youth and civil society to stand firm in demanding elections within 2025.
“Caretaker governments in Bangladesh have successfully conducted elections within three months in the past,” Rahman said. “Ten months into this interim regime, we still don’t have an election date. The people deserve a transparent, accountable government—formed through a fair and timely vote.” He challenged current officials to step down and contest the elections, asserting that a democratic mandate—not political appointments—should define leadership.
Jamaat Signals Conditional Support
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has offered measured support to the idea of early elections, calling for a roadmap that allows for polls sometime between December and April. The party’s renewed electoral ambitions received a major boost after a landmark Supreme Court ruling last Sunday overturned a previous verdict that had invalidated its registration. This paves the way for Jamaat’s official return to the electoral landscape for the first time in over a decade.
Consensus Building and Criticism of Yunus
The latest meeting of the National Consensus Commission (NCC), chaired by Chief Advisor Yunus, reportedly saw growing agreement among multiple political parties on the urgency of setting an election date.
Yet Yunus has come under fire for what critics call “political absenteeism”, having undertaken ten overseas visits in the past ten months—including a recent trip to Japan and an upcoming visit to London scheduled from June 10–13. Observers say these frequent travels contrast sharply with the domestic unrest and economic anxiety felt by millions of Bangladeshis.
“While the country faces a democratic crossroads, the leadership appears disengaged,” remarked one political analyst. “This disconnect could deepen public frustration and complicate the road to free and fair elections.”
As tensions simmer and calls for democratic accountability intensify, the coming weeks could be pivotal in determining whether Bangladesh holds timely national elections—or descends deeper into political uncertainty.
