Yunus-Tarique to meet in London, with Khaleda Zia steering behind the scenes

The political tensions that had been going on for the last few months over the parliamentary election has somewhat eased for now after the announcement of a probable election timeline.

However, as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has not fully accepted April as the tentative election month, the discordance over the time of voting has not yet become smooth between the party and the interim government.

Meanwhile, the meeting between chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus and BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, scheduled to be held in London on 13 June, has turned into a major political focal point.

Political observers and stakeholders has been closely observing the development surrounding the meeting. Widespread discussions have been going on in the political realm regarding negotiations over the time of voting, reform initiatives, July charter and other relevant issues in the meeting.

In his address to the nation on the day before the Eid-ul-Azha, the interim government’s chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus said that the 13th parliamentary election could be held on any day in the first half of April next year. Although BNP and some other political parties did not accept the “time frame”, many from the political arena have been considering this announcement positively.

However, people actively involved with politics think the political understanding would have been better had the government fixed February for the election.

Interim government’s chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus reached London on a four-day state visit on Tuesday. Prior to this, BNP and several sources from the government confirmed the meeting between Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman.

BNP said the meeting could be held on Friday morning.

Dubbing the meeting as highly significant, several sources said if the meeting between the two leaders become successful, then the gap between the interim government and the BNP over probable date of election, important reform initiatives, July charter and other issues could begin to narrow.

A source from the BNP’s policymaking level informed Prothom Alo that the chief adviser’s date of visiting the UK was fixed at the first half of May. BNP has been considering a meeting between the chief adviser and Tarique Rahman since then.

In the meantime, tensions flared between the BNP and government and conflict with the National Citizen Party (NCP) over not administering the oath of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation though the court pronounced a verdict in favour of Ishraque.

In such a context, Tarique Rahman, joining virtually, from a grand rally at Naya Paltan on 28 May, stressed that the national election must be held by December.

Later, the chief adviser announced the tentative date of the election which did not satisfy the top leaders of the BNP. Following this, the meeting between Tarique Rahman and professor Yunus in London became uncertain.

A source said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia also played an important role so that the meeting takes place. Later, a time for the meeting was set due to the wishes of both sides, especially the increased interest from the government. This was discussed in the meeting of the BNP’s standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the party.

They thought the meeting would be better for the country and the nation.

Speaking about this, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “The chief adviser is the head of the interim government. He is an internationally reputed personality. Acting chairman of BNP, the largest political party of the country, Tarique Rahman has been in exile in the UK for 17 years.”

“We think there should be a meeting between the head of the government and the acting chairman of the BNP. This is part of political etiquette. Otherwise, critics could grab this chance for aspersive criticism,” he added.

This meeting has generated interest among other political parties too.

Speaking about this, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told Prothom Alo on Tuesday, “We are taking this (meeting) positively. Because this is a meeting between the head of the interim government and the functional head of the country’s largest political party. We hope they will discuss the next national election and reform initiatives.”

However, Jamaat, NCP, Islami Andolan and several other political parties welcomed the announcement of the election date, saying that this assured the nation.

Jamaat and NCP, however, think people’s expectations could have been fulfilled if the election date had been announced after implementing the July uprising declaration and July charter.

Jamaat hopes the interim government would be able to bring Bangladesh on a track of democratic practices by implementing three things - reforms, trial of Awami League and the election, and composing and implementing the “July charter”.

BNP was planning to take to the streets resolutely with the demand of holding the elections by December this year. But the leaders of the party have hinted at relaxing their stance a bit for now. 

Several sources from the BNP said the party chairperson Khaleda Zia played a role in this case. When the BNP standing committee members went to Khaleda Zia’s residence on 7 June night to greet her on Eid-ul-Azha, she asked them why the distance with the interim government. She advised the leaders against taking to streets over any issue at this time. She insisted that whatever be the problem, it is better to hold discussion.

Sources further revealed that one the next day of her meeting with the standing committee members, Khaleda Zia talked to her elder son and the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday. Later, there was a meeting of the party’s standing committee on Monday night. This meeting welcomed the courtesy meeting between the chief adviser and Tarique Rahman.

BNP leaders think this meeting could play an important role to reduce the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh and pave a way for an acceptable election.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formally talked to the media about this on Tuesday afternoon. He termed the meeting in London as “the most important event of this time”.

“I think both nationally and internationally this meeting is highly important. This meeting could resolve many issues and many things could become easier; it also could create new dimensions. Now it depends on our leaders (Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman), how they navigate the situation towards fulfilling their potential. We, on behalf of our party, gave full authority to the acting chairman and wished him success,” he said.

The month of April is in no way suitable for holding the parliamentary elections because of the scorching summer heat and apprehensions of nor’westers, BNP and other political parties think. Besides, there will be Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr before April. Then there is the secondary school certificate (SSC) exams. Because of all this it would be tough to run campaigns. Considering everything, December would be the most suitable time for holding the elections, BNP’s policy making level leaders think.

However, several BNP leaders said it would be easier for them to accept if the government could organise the election even in January or February.

The BNP chairperson also thought February would be the suitable time for elections. She said this when a government delegation went to give her the mutation documents related to her house on 2 June night.

Several government sources said that until the recording of the chief adviser’s address to the nation, some of the advisers and people close to the government advised him about fixing the first half of February as the probable election time frame. But the chief adviser remained adamant about holding the elections in April. 

Political analysts think if the outcomes of this discussion are negative, it might affect the reform initiatives and the elections, which could worsen the situation.

BNP sources said they also have been looking forward to the meeting. Then they will decide their next course of action watching the meeting’s outcome.

Speaking about this, party’s standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told Prothom Alo on Tuesday, “This is nothing new that the people of Bangladesh want an election. Now we have to wait as we’re going into a discussion. Till then we will have to keep mum.”

*The report, originally published in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza