December polls demand: BNP eyes joint movement with allies, Jamaat

The BNP is eyeing a joint movement with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties to pressure the government to hold the next national election in December.

Starting today, the BNP will hold a series of meetings with parties that previously participated in joint movements against the Awami League-led government to devise a strategy. Separate talks will also be held with Jamaat, which the BNP said would not be part of its electoral alliance.

The party plans to host a press conference in Dhaka at the end of this month or early next month, bringing together top leaders of the parties to send a clear message to the government: most political parties are ready for the election and want it to be held in December.

According to party insiders, the move was finalised during the BNP's Standing Committee meeting on Thursday night at the party chairperson's Gulshan office, a day after senior leaders met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna.

During that meeting, BNP leaders demanded a clear election roadmap. However, the chief adviser reiterated that polls would be held between December and June next year, a response that did not sit well with the party.

"We are not satisfied at all," said Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir after the meeting.

As per the committee's decision, BNP will begin today's meetings at the party's Gulshan office with the leaders of the 12-Party Alliance at 3:00pm, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the evening. BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan will lead the discussions.

A senior BNP leader said the party will announce peaceful programmes -- rallies and public gatherings across the country -- to press its demands following the talks.

Sources said the move is part of the BNP's broader strategy to maintain psychological and political pressure on the government.

Restoring voting rights and establishing an elected government will be the core issues, they added.

During Thursday's Standing Committee meeting, chaired by the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul briefed members on key points from talks with the chief adviser and the National Consensus Commission.

At the meeting, leaders agreed that maintaining continuous pressure on the government is the only way to ensure polls in December. Coordination with previous allies, including Jamaat, will resume. Although the format for talks with Jamaat is yet to be finalised, one leader said it might follow earlier formats.

Sources added that the BNP will monitor the government's actions over the coming months. If there is no progress, stronger programmes may follow.

The BNP argues that December is the only practical time to hold the election, considering the country's weather and logistical realities. The party believes the necessary reforms can be completed in time for a December vote, and any delay beyond that would be deliberate.

A senior BNP leader said the absence of a clear election roadmap suggests internal disagreements within the interim government, with some factions possibly aiming to delay the polls.

"If we don't keep up the pressure, the election might be pushed back to late 2025," he said.

The BNP has also welcomed Jamaat's call for elections before Ramadan. Sources said that while the BNP prefers polls in December, some leaders are open to a slight delay, as long as the election is not pushed to June.

While mass mobilisations will remain limited for now, the BNP aims to show both domestic and international audiences that democratic parties in Bangladesh are united in their demand for timely elections, sources said.