BNP doubts December elections

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) remains sceptical about the possibility of national parliamentary elections being held in December. The party’s senior leaders believe that a “conspiracy” is underway to delay the polls, allegedly from within the government itself.

Although Chief Adviser to the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has stated in multiple international media interviews that his administration is working towards holding elections by December, and the election commission has affirmed its preparations accordingly, BNP leaders remain unconvinced.

Concerns over election delays were raised during the party’s standing committee meeting at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Monday.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “We expect the chief adviser to present the election roadmap to the nation soon. This will clear the fog surrounding the elections. If the roadmap is provided, business uncertainty will decrease, and all sectors will find relief.”

Adding to the scepticism, National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam recently told two international news agencies that he does not believe elections can be held under the current law and order situation and the existing policing system.

BNP leaders interpret this as a signal that the situation is worsening, blaming the government’s administrative inaction and lack of control.

They argue that if this trend continues, the law and order situation will not improve, raising further doubts about whether elections can be held as scheduled.

BNP has been pressing for early elections, while the government is moving forward with broader reforms, including changes to the constitution, the election commission, and public administration through the National Consensus Commission.

The commission has already initiated discussions with political parties and has sent out letters seeking their views on the proposed reforms. Today, 13 March, marks the deadline for parties to submit their opinions.

The BNP has decided not to submit its opinion to the National Consensus Commission today, Thursday, opting instead to prepare a detailed report before expressing its stance.

A senior BNP source confirmed that the party will not simply tick the boxes sent by the commission but will instead compile a comprehensive response based on the recommendations of various reform commissions. BNP has requested additional time to finalise this report.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “If we only express our opinion by ticking the box, there is a possibility of confusion. Therefore, we will prepare a detailed report along with the box and express our opinion.”

The BNP also has concerns about the commission’s dialogue process, particularly regarding which parties will be included. There is uncertainty about whether discussions will be limited to registered parties or if unregistered parties, such as the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the newly formed National Citizen Party, will also be invited.

Some BNP leaders believe that if unregistered parties are included, many other parties should also be invited, and they seek clarification on this issue.

Despite maintaining pressure on the government over election concerns, BNP does not want to jeopardise its relationship with the administration. The party intends to navigate the electoral process while keeping the government engaged, avoiding any drastic moves that could lead to political instability or a government collapse.