Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants removal of ambiguity over the next national elections. ‘The party feels that as the days pass, the uncertainty over the elections is increasing. A BNP delegation will meet the chief adviser of the interim government to clearly understand it,’ BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told BSS today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a BNP delegation led by its secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is set to meet with the chief adviser at a scheduled meeting at noon tomorrow at the State Guest House Jamuna. The discussions are expected to center around the specific timing of the forthcoming national elections, which have been a point of contention and uncertainty for the party.
Ahmed highlighted that during a previous meeting, the chief adviser had assured them that the national elections would occur between December and June of the following year, which seemed a reasonable timeframe for comprehensive electoral reforms. However, the BNP has
since observed a lack of concrete initiatives or communication from the chief adviser regarding these plans, leading to increased ambiguity.
The BNP is particularly concerned about conflicting messages from government advisers and the chief adviser’s press secretary, which have suggested a preference for a longer government term and a vague election timeline between December and June. This inconsistency has heightened the party’s concerns about the election’s timing and transparency.
Ahmed emphasized the need for the chief adviser to explicitly state the government’s position on the election date and urged the announcement of a clear election roadmap. Furthermore, the BNP is keen to understand what the chief adviser means by “small reforms or big reforms” within the ongoing reform process. The party argues that the election roadmap should not be delayed due to ongoing reforms and plans to address this issue during the meeting.