The Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee has raised concerns over the election-related statement made by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus while addressing the nation on Victory Day, terming the statement unclear and contradictory.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir conveyed the BNP’s stance at a press conference held at the BNP chairperson’s office in the capital’s Gulshan on Thursday.
A BNP standing committee meeting presided over by the party’s acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman, on Wednesday night discussed in details the chief adviser’s speech regarding the election, he said.
Fakhrul said that the BNP thought the chief adviser’s election speech lacked clarity, as the chief adviser in his speech hinted at a potential timeframe for the election, but no specific roadmap was provided.
He said that Yunus mentioned late 2025 or early 2026 as possible timeframe for the election, but a remark from the chief adviser’s press secretary indicated that the general elections could take place by June 2026, which had only deepened confusion.
The BNP feels that such contradictions have created further uncertainty regarding the election process, he said, adding that there was no justification for delaying the elections as the Election Commission has already been formed.
Emphasising the need for expediting the election process, Fakhrul also said the BNP thinks that holding the national election was possible soon after completing the electoral reforms quickly.
The standing committee meeting also sought a specific statement from the chief adviser, mentioning that the exact timeframe for election should be determined through consultation with political parties and the other stakeholders.
It also made the decision to hold views-exchange meetings with the political parties that were with the BNP in the anti-fascist movement.
Fakhrul also said that the BNP appreciated the High Court’s verdict that on Tuesday declared several provisions of the 15th amendment to the constitution, including the abolition of the caretaker government, invalid.
‘We appreciate this verdict. The court acknowledged that the parliament is the sole forum for amending the constitution following an election,’ he said.
Fakhrul said that the court had invalidated some significant portions of the amendment, preserved others, and left most for the consideration by the next parliament.