Aiming to forge national consensus on holding the next general election by December, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has decided to engage in discussions with all political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, left-wing, and right-wing groups.
The decision was taken during BNP’s National Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, where acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined virtually from London. The party aims to finalize its next political strategy based on the opinions gathered from these dialogues.
BNP’s move follows a meeting between its delegation and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus regarding the election roadmap. The meeting, held at the state guesthouse Jamuna, reportedly left BNP leaders dissatisfied due to the absence of a specific election date.
Following the meeting, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed his disappointment, stating, “The Chief Adviser did not provide a concrete date. He only mentioned that the election will be held sometime between December and June.”
Despite government representatives, including Legal Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, assuring that elections will not be delayed beyond June, BNP leaders are seeking broader political unity to press for polls within December.
BNP leaders have confirmed they will reach out not only to their political allies but also to parties outside their current alliance. The party plans to start formal discussions within days and may hold a joint press conference afterward to present a united demand for elections by December.
Ahead of this initiative, BNP also held internal meetings with its organizational secretaries to plan peaceful programs over the next three months—such as rallies, marches, and grassroots campaigns—should the government fail to respond with a clear election timeline.
LND/BG
