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Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday assured the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that the next general election would be held by June 2026 as the party urged the government to clarify the actual issue behind the ongoing discussions about the interim government’s five-year term in office.

The government side assured the BNP that, regardless of any contrary statements, the election would in no way be held beyond June 2026, according to sources present in the meeting between the chief adviser and the BNP at State guest house Jamuna in the city.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the BNP delegation in the meeting that began at about 12:00 noon and continued for two hours.

During the meeting, BNP leaders expressed concern over recent media discussions on a recent remark by home adviser Jahangir Alam, who stated that many people had told him that they wanted the interim government to remain in power for five years.

The government side clarified that the remarks of the home adviser had been presented in a misleading way and that the election must be held by June 2026.

According to the sources, BNP leaders said that they met the chief adviser to seek clarification from the government regarding the recent controversy on social media over comments made by some advisers about the elections and reforms.

Following the clarification from the chief adviser, BNP leaders expressed their satisfaction, with some stating that they sought assurance from the government that elections would indeed take place—regardless of whether the timeline is brought forward or delayed by two months, according to the sources present at the meeting.

Although BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed dissatisfaction after the meeting over the lack of clarity in the interim government’s road map for the upcoming national election, he later posted a photo of the meeting with the chief adviser on his Facebook page, accompanied by the caption: ‘We stand united for Bangladesh. May Allah protect and strengthen our nation.’

‘The chief adviser did not specify the election road map. He merely mentioned that the election would be held between December [this year] and June [next year]. We are not satisfied with that,’ BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters after the meeting. 

He said that December should be the deadline for the national election and warned that any delay would further worsen the political, economic, and social situation.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul in a separate press briefing after the meeting said that the discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere and he thought that BNP was satisfied with the response from the government on the issues raised by the BNP.

‘During the meeting, we categorically told the BNP that the election deadline would not exceed June 2026 as it was the chief adviser’s promise,’ he said.

The BNP secretary general, however, said that the chief adviser did not say the election would not be held in December.

Fakhrul said that they would discuss the government’s stance within the party and hold meetings with like-minded parties to determine their next course of action.

‘BNP urged the government to hold the national election by December, and the chief adviser said that the elections would be held between December and June — meaning as soon as possible within that period. We have no intention of unnecessarily delaying the elections to remain in power,’ Asif Nazrul said in his press briefing.

Besides Fakhrul, the BNP delegation included the party standing committee members Zamir Uddin Sirkar, Mirza Abbas, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.

During the meeting, the BNP presented its position on elections and reforms in writing to the chief adviser.

The paper titled ‘Opinions and suggestions on some urgent measures to be taken in light of the current situation in the country’ said that the BNP believed that it was possible to hold the next national election by next December, provided that the necessary reforms to laws, rules, regulations, and relevant institutions were completed to ensure a free, fair, and impartial election.

‘In this regard, and in line with the assurance you gave during our previous meeting, we urge you to take necessary initiatives to immediately announce a specific electoral road map aimed at holding the election by December,’ it said.

BNP believes that all changes do not qualify as reform, as the true purpose of reform is to bring about positive and constructive change, the BNP said in its paper.

In this context, the party said that it welcomed reasonable discussions on all proposals.

The party, however, made it clear that it did not support any strategy that would deprive the people of their right to vote and their right to establish ownership of the state by wasting unnecessary time in the interest of certain parties or groups, or by attempting to discredit and render politics or political institutions irrelevant, the BNP said in its written opinions.

The party compared the previous fascist regime’s ‘development first, democracy later’ tactic with the current argument of some individuals and groups who advocate for ‘reform first, democracy later’.

The BNP said that development for all could only be achieved by strengthening and implementing the democratic system and added that reforms of the state system, laws, policies, and regulations were essential.

Emphasising the importance of coordination between the statements and opinions of the chief executive of any country and its government, the BNP said that recent exceptions to this coordination had caused concern.

The party said that the public statements and positions of certain individuals in the government, as well as those of some individuals and organisations had created confusion in the public’s mind.

The BNP demanded the immediate withdrawal of all cases filed against the party leaders and activists during the 1/11 government and the fascist regime.

The party also called for the prosecution of the fascist party, their government, and their accomplices for crimes against the people and humanity during the July-August uprising.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul in his press briefing acknowledged the BNP as a pro-reform political party and said that the party agreed with most of the reform proposals put forward by various reform commissions.

‘The people’s expectation from the interim government is that we should prosecute those responsible for the July murders. If we don’t prosecute anyone and simply hold elections, can we truly be accountable to the people?’ he said.

The adviser said that the issue of elections depended on reforms, trials and certain steps taken by the government, but it would not go beyond June 2026 in any case.