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New polls timing: BNP upbeat, process irks Jamaat, NCP
The interim government’s revised election timeline with certain conditions has stirred cautious optimism as well as raised questions among political parties.
New polls timing: BNP upbeat, process irks Jamaat, NCP
File visual: Anwar Sohel
The interim government's revised election timeline with certain conditions has stirred cautious optimism as well as raised questions among political parties.
While many parties including the BNP have welcomed the proposed timeline -- mid-February next year -- concerns have emerged regarding how the decision was reached through discussions with only one party.
File visual: Anwar Sohel
The interim government's revised election timeline with certain conditions has stirred cautious optimism as well as raised questions among political parties.
While many parties including the BNP have welcomed the proposed timeline -- mid-February next year -- concerns have emerged regarding how the decision was reached through discussions with only one party.
- BNP optimistic, but wary of conditions
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- Jamaat slams joint press meet as 'ethically unjustified'
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- NCP says election prioritised over reform, justice
The BNP had long been demanding that the election be held by the year-end. It had been criticising the interim government for not unveiling a roadmap for the election.
The party, now the biggest one after the fall of the Awami League regime in August last year, pressed on with its call after Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus earlier this month announced that polls would be held in April next year.
The meeting between Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London on Friday, and the outcome now signal a potential thaw in the relations between the two sides.
This evolving dynamic suggests a realignment of political forces ahead of the next general election, according to party insiders.
The BNP is satisfied with the proposed election timeline, but it has expressed some concerns and reservations due to the strings attached to Prof Yunus's suggested polls timing.
On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party have criticised the government for the way it came up with the fresh timeline.
The Jamaat yesterday said that holding a joint press conference abroad after a meeting with a single political party, and issuing a joint statement about the meeting, is "ethically unjustified" and marks a "deviation from the country's political culture".
"Through this, the chief adviser has expressed a tilt towards a particular party, which has undermined his neutrality," the Islamist party said in a statement.
At the meeting with Tarique, Yunus said the next general election could be held in the week leading up to Ramadan in 2026 if all preparations are completed.
He added that sufficient progress in reforms and the trials of perpetrators of the atrocities during the July uprising would be necessary to bring the election date forward from April.
Yunus made the remarks when Tarique suggested that the election take place before Ramadan. The month of fasting will begin in the third week of February.
This is a significant shift in both sides' stance on election timing.
The Jamaat discussed the issue at its central executive council meeting yesterday morning.
"The chief adviser's joint press conference with one party has created concerns among the public about whether the upcoming election will be free, fair, and acceptable," the party said in its statement.
It added that in a country where many political parties are actively engaged, it is not reasonable to take decisions on overall political matters by consulting only one party.
"We hope the interim government will remain neutral, ensure a level playing field for a free, fair, and credible election, and take necessary steps regarding justice and reforms," the statement read.
The NCP, in a statement on Friday, also said the government appeared to be prioritising a particular party's demands regarding the election.
While the talks regarding the election timing figured high at the meeting, the key demands of citizens in the post-uprising Bangladesh, namely justice and reform, were not given the same importance.
"The National Citizen Party finds it extremely frustrating," reads the statement.
"Our party is okay with any date between December and June. But prior to that, a consensus must be reached on fundamental reforms and how they would be implemented. Restructuring the existing Election Commission is another precondition for ensuring a level playing field for a fair election," Ariful Islam Adeeb, senior joint convener of the NCP, told The Daily Star.
"Even the chief adviser said that polls could be held in February if progress is made on reforms and ongoing trials. But the BNP is publicising it in such a way that as if the government has finalised the election timing. They [BNP] are confusing people," he added.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, headed by Mamunul Haque, expressed deep concern in a statement yesterday.
As the head of a non-partisan interim government, Yunus has the responsibility to ensure equal treatment of all political parties, the Khelafat Majlish said.
"Issuing a joint statement with the leader of a particular political party raises questions about his neutrality and acceptability and sends a message of state-level discriminations against other political parties," the Islamist party said.
"We hope the leadership of the interim government will play a more cautious and balanced role in the coming days, so that national unity is established and an acceptable electoral environment is ensured," the statement added.
The Khelafat Majlish also said it welcomes any constructive dialogue and discussion aimed at easing the ongoing political tensions and paving the way for a credible, peaceful, and neutral election.
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque said the meeting could be viewed as a step toward reforms, justice and polls, potentially offering a dignified exit for the interim government.
"This could help resolve the political stalemate. It might also reduce concerns about the government leaning towards any particular direction," he added while talking at a programme in the capital.
In reaction to the Jamaat's statement, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told The Daily Star, "It was not a matter of fondness for any party. Rather, the new election timeline announced by the chief adviser aligns with the Jamaat ameer's suggestion that the election could be held in February, before Ramadan in 2026."
A majority of the parties, not just the BNP, demanded that the election be held within December, he said.
"Now, considering Ramadan, public exams, and weather conditions, the time that has been set is suitable for holding the election. We welcome it."
Talking about NCP's reaction to the meeting, Salahuddin said that the NCP is viewing it from a partisan perspective. "They should rise above their party views, make decisions keeping in mind the broader national interest."
Prof Al Masud Hasanuzzaman of Jahangirnagar University's government and politics department said signs of compromise aimed at resolving the electoral stalemate have emerged following the meeting. He described this as a positive development overall.
Asked about a possible shift in the political landscape, he explained that in the coming days, politics will centre around the election. Political parties will make their calculations, issue strategic statements, and ultimately launch their election campaigns.
"If all parties were to reach complete agreement, there would be no conflict. However, in politics and democratic processes, differences of opinion are inevitable and must be acknowledged," he said.
