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Major political parties, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jam aat-e-Islami and Ganatantra Mancha among them, on Saturday suggested that the interim government should give specific roadmaps for elections, reforms and increased coordination with political parties.

The parties gave their suggestions and proposals to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government at separate meetings held at the chief adviser’s official residence state guest house Jamuna.

Emerging from its meeting with the chief adviser, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that there was one or two individuals in the interim government who were obstructing the main spirit of this government and the people’s uprising.

‘We demanded their removal. We demanded the roadmap for the next election,’ he mentioned.

The chief adviser assured them that elections were the number one priority of the interim government, Fakhrul said.

The party also demanded that the government should not transfer the work of the National Identity Card to the home ministry.

It also demanded suspension of the existing law for appointing the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners and also the immediate formation of a new Election Commission based on the consensus from major political parties.

Additionally, the BNP demanded trial of all the former chief election commissioners and other election commissioners who conducted the ‘farcical and failed’ national elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024.

The party also demanded legal action against former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque on the sedition charges, who it said, was chiefly responsible for destroying the electoral system and cancellation of the caretaker government system.

Most of the appointments in the High Court Division were in partisan interest, he said, adding that around 30 judges, appointed by the now-ousted government, were still working there and no changes were brought to the High Court Division so far.

‘We asked the government for taking necessary legal action against them,’ he said.

He said that his party observed that those who were being arrested on specific charges, including corruption and murders, were getting bails.

‘This is very worrying. We asked them to look into the matter,’ he said.

The party demanded necessary steps to withdraw all ‘false, fictitious, fake, fabricated and politically motivated’ cases filed from 2007 to August 5, 2024.

‘Some police officers and former ministers are fleeing the country. We have asked them to see how they are fleeing and who are helping them to do so,’ he said.

Saying that many of the civil servants who assisted the fascist government were still in their positions, Fakhurl added that his party demanded their removal. 

‘There are some allegations against the newly appointed deputy commissioners, their appointments should be cancelled,’ he said, adding that they also suggested the cancellation of some contractual appointments.

‘Another thing we have noticed, which is, fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina is in India... She is spreading various propagandas from there. We have requested the government to discuss the matter with the Indian government,’ he said.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party also urged the interim government to take action against those who were trying to create anarchy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Fakhrul claimed that officials of different departments were not cooperating with the visiting UN delegation over inquiry into the incidents of enforced disappearance.

Some members from the Hindu community are instigating people in a planned way centring Durga Puja, he said, adding that they were spreading propaganda that the Hindus were being tortured, which was absolutely false and was a conspiracy against Bangladesh.

‘We have asked the interim government to consider these issues very seriously,’ he said.

After the BNP, the government held a meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami.

Emerging from the meeting, Jamaat’s ameer Shafiqur Rahman said that during the Awami League’s misrule of 15 and a half years, Jamaat was the worst sufferer. The party now wanted to look forward and aspired for the country’s advancement, he said.

‘But people who are facing specific cases on the charges of murder, money laundering, involvement in enforced disappearance should be punished,’ he said.

The responsibility of this nonpartisan interim government is to ensure an environment for a free, fair, acceptable and peaceful election that will need reforms in the major sectors, according to the Jamaat ameer.

‘We are hopeful that the government will remain neutral and will be able to arrange a free and fair election. We hope that it would take a short time,’ he said.

Shafiqur said that during the talks the party leaders said that people had huge expectations from the interim government, and hoped that they would not linger and stand by their word of taking rational time.

‘They [government] did not differ with us on the issue,’ he said, adding that his party emphasised on two roadmaps—one for the timeline for the ongoing reforms and another for a roadmap for the next election.

‘If the reform is successful the election will be successful’ he said.

Besides, the party also discussed about the current law and order situation and how the government and people could work together to improve the law and order situation, he added.

Regarding how the law and order will be maintained during the coming Durga Puja, the Jamaat leaders said that a partnership between the people and government was needed.

‘If the law enforcers and people work together, we hope that the Hindu community will be able to hold a remarkable Durga Puja this year,’ Shafiqur said.

Later, the dialogue was held with Ganatantra Mancha.

After the meeting, Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said that the issue of democratic elections should be discussed with political parties, students, people from across classes and professions.

‘We think a framework is needed. A national political council may be formed that will ensure participation from all,’ he said.

With the government supporting the stakeholders, the political process would move forward, he said.

Mentioning communal attacks, attacks on shrines and attacks on women, he said that the overall role of the government and political parties was discussed on a positive note in the meeting.

Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huq said that they had talked about the dire situation of rising commodity prices.

‘We have expressed our concern about the new face of the old syndicate. They [government] said that they prioritised four tasks, including breaking the syndicate, and controlling commodity prices,’ he added.

Later Yunus held a meeting with the Left Democratic Party.

Emerging from the meeting, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said that they told the interim government that it was not the responsibility of this government to do all the reforms.

‘We appreciate the initiative for reforms in various areas, but main among them will be the reform of the electoral system. After discussing with various political parties and individuals, the road map for the election must be announced by making complete reforms,’ he said.

‘They [government] will propose other reforms and the next elected government will carry them out. We have said that it is not right for this government to do anything that will lead people to question,’ he said.

On the day, the chief adviser also held dialogues with Islami Andolon Bangladesh, AB Party, Left Democratic Unity, and Gono Odhikar Parishad, among others.

It was the third round of dialogue between the chief adviser and political parties.

Following the dialogues with the political parties, at a press conference at Foreign Service Academy, chief advisor’s special assistant Mahfuz Alam said that the preparation for the next general election would take place simultaneously with the reform work.

He said that the government would discuss all the proposals and demands of the political parties raised at the Saturday’s meetings.

Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam told the press conference that the roadmap for elections would be announced after the reform commissions would complete their work.

‘Political parties are very close allies of this government. Discussions with the parties are a continues process, and it will go on,’ he said.

Chief adviser’s deputy press secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Auurbo Jahangir were also present at the press conference.