The interim government aims to hold the national parliamentary elections in December. However, if that is not possible for any reason, the election may be postponed by up to a month, sources close to the interim administration and the chief adviser have indicated.
According to these sources, December remains the most likely timeframe for the elections. However, if delays occur, many government insiders believe the elections will be scheduled for January next year.
This is because Ramadan begins in February, making it difficult to conduct elections within the following two months, which also includes Eid-ul-Fitr.
Additionally, the storm season (Kalbaisakhi) and the monsoon would follow, making election arrangements challenging. If elections do not take place in December or January, they might be pushed back to early 2026.
Meanwhile, M Sakhawat Hossain, the interim government’s advisor to the Ministry of Shipping and Labour and Employment, told The Daily Star in an interview last Thursday that the election schedule could be announced around October.
He stated, “If I am not mistaken, I am getting hints that the schedule could be announced around October, elections in December, and a new government could be formed by January.”
The Election Commission (EC), constitutionally responsible for organis ing elections, will ultimately decide the date. However, in the current political climate—following the fall of the Awami League government due to the student uprising—the timing of the elections will largely depend on a consensus between the interim government and political parties. The EC is awaiting the government’s decision, but is preparing on the assumption that elections will be held in December.
Several political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Left Democratic Alliance, have met separately with the EC this month to discuss election preparations. Both BNP and the Left Alliance have demanded national elections within this year and previously opposed holding local government elections first.
In contrast, Jamaat-e-Islami has not set a specific timeframe for national elections. Instead, they have supported holding local government elections before the national polls and emphasised reforms before elections.
In addition, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, which led the mass uprising, favour holding local government elections first. They have repeatedly made their stance clear and have called for elections only after reforms are implemented.
Following the fall of the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government due to the student-led mass uprising, an interim government, headed by Professor Muhammad Yunus, took charge.
In his address to the nation on 16 December, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus outlined a possible timeline for the national elections. He stated that if only minimal reforms were pursued, elections could be held in December 2025. However, if more extensive reforms were undertaken, elections might be delayed until mid-2026.
Earlier, in a September 2024 interview with Reuters, Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman pledged support for the interim government in carrying out key reforms to ensure elections within 18 months. He indicated that the elections would likely be held between November and December 2025.
One of the key objectives of the interim government is to implement reforms across various sectors. To achieve this, 11 reform commissions have been established. Among them, the commissions on the Constitution, Electoral System, Public Administration, Police, Judiciary, and Anti-Corruption have already submitted their proposals. Discussions within the ‘National Consensus Commission’ on these proposals with political parties have begun.
Political analysts note that despite the government’s emphasis on reforms, it has yet to fully stabilise the situation, particularly regarding law and order. Several incidents of unrest have taken place, creating uncertainty and anxiety among the public.
Given this backdrop, there is growing discussion that further delays in forming an elected government could lead to an unpredictable shift in the political landscape.
Advantages and disadvantages of holding local elections first
Meanwhile, discussions are underway about whether local government elections could be held in August-September, ahead of the national elections. However, this proposal has sparked major disagreements within the political arena.
The Local Government Reform Commission has already submitted a summary of its recommendations to the government. The idea of holding local elections before the national elections is being considered for two main reasons. First, after the fall of the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 following the student-led mass uprising, many local government representatives went into hiding. At one point, the interim government dismissed most of them. As a result, with no elected representatives in local government institutions, citizens have been deprived of essential public services. Second, holding local government elections first would provide a trial run for the newly formed Election Commission (EC), allowing them to gain experience and assess the effectiveness of electoral reforms before the national elections.
However, the BNP argues that holding local elections before national elections could lead to widespread conflict. The party has described this move as a strategy to destabilize the country. Other political groups have also expressed similar concerns.
Despite these debates, the EC has reassured political parties in recent meetings that they are preparing under the assumption that national elections will take place in December, as stated by the chief adviser. So far, the government has not communicated any official decision regarding local government elections. The EC has instructed district administrators to begin preparations for the general elections.
EC officials believe that if national elections are to be held in December, all necessary preparations must be completed by October. Key pre-election tasks include updating the voter list, redefining parliamentary constituency boundaries, registering new political parties, accrediting election observers, and procuring essential materials. Work on updating the voter list is already underway and is expected to be completed by June. The EC is awaiting a final decision on implementing the recommendations of the Electoral Reforms Commission before proceeding with the remaining tasks.
Law and order is also a matter of concern
Sources indicate that before the elections, law and order must also be a key consideration. The security forces, particularly the police, have not yet fully stabilised following the recent period of unrest.
Public administration has yet to restore complete order. Since both the police and the civil administration play crucial roles in ensuring a fair and secure election, making these institutions fully functional and effective before the polls will be a significant challenge. Given the current state of the police force, there are concerns about their ability to maintain order during the elections.
Although the armed forces are already deployed to support the civilian administration, they primarily act as a striking force during national elections. As a result, the military’s role in maintaining law and order in the upcoming election is expected to be even more critical.
Badiul Alam Majumder, Secretary of SHUJAN and a member of the National Consensus Commission, told Prothom Alo, “I believe elections need to be held as soon as possible. However, the timing will depend on how quickly the interim government and political parties can reach a consensus on necessary legal and regulatory reforms and their implementation.”
He added that several key reforms must be enacted before the elections, while long-term structural changes agreed upon through consensus would be implemented by the next elected government. The Chief Adviser has already proposed a National Charter to guide these reforms. Majumder emphasised that the sooner an agreement is reached, the sooner elections can take place.