Polls could be held in mid-February
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said that the next general election could be held in the week before the start of Ramadan in 2026 if all preparations are completed.
He added that sufficient progress in reforms and the trials of perpetrators of killings in the July uprising would be necessary to bring the election date forward from April.
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Yunus made the remarks when BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, during a meeting with the chief adviser in London yesterday, suggested that the election take place before Ramadan.
The month of fasting will begin in the third week of February. After the end of Ramadan, Eid and Independence Day will be celebrated in March.
This is a significant shift in both sides' stance on election timing. The BNP, citing the urgency of returning to democracy, continued to demand that the election be held by December after the chief adviser announced polls in April earlier this month.
The government and the BNP revealed the outcome of the meeting between Yunus and Tarique in a joint statement presented at a press conference in London.
It's time to strengthen national unity and move swiftly toward a fair election in mid-February.
The party's Chairperson Khaleda Zia also believes that it would be good to hold the election during that time, according to the statement read out by National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman.
"The chief adviser said he has already announced that the election will be held in the first half of April next year. If all preparations are completed, the election could be organised in the week before the start of Ramadan in 2026," the statement said.
It said Tarique welcomed the chief adviser's stance and expressed his gratitude on behalf of the party. The chief adviser also thanked Tarique for the fruitful discussion.
Both sides said they were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting at The Dorchester, the hotel where Yunus is staying during his four-day UK visit.
On multiple occasions, Yunus insisted that the polls would take place sometime between December this year and June next year, depending on the implementation of reforms promised by the government. The process to reach a consensus among political parties about the reforms is currently underway.
Asked if there was any problem in fixing a specific election date, Khalilur said: "There is no issue at all. We don't see any problems. If anyone does, they are seeing it incorrectly. In today's joint statement regarding the election, both sides have made it clear. We hope the Election Commission will listen and announce a date."
When a journalist asked whether the election will be held with the consent of all parties, Khalilur said: "That is what we are hoping for."
While answering another question about trial of July atrocities and extradition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina before the polls, Khalilur said the answer was included in the joint statement. "There has been mention of sufficient progress in both reforms and judicial matters, and we are fairly confident that this progress will be achieved before the election," he added.
In reply to a question about the newly formed National Citizen Party's (NCP) announcement that it would not participate in the polls without reforming the Election Commission, Khalilur said, "You should ask them [NCP]. Every party has its own opinion, but we want to hold the election with everyone's participation."
BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, who flew to London ahead of the meeting, also attended the joint press conference.
He said many issues naturally came up during the discussions, which continued for one and a half hours.
"We all are united and are moving forward with the determination to build a new Bangladesh. We will work together to achieve this goal. Not only before the election, but even after, we will continue to advance with the shared resolve to build Bangladesh," he said.
Asked if there were discussions about the July Charter during the meeting, Amir Khosru said, "We have already reached a decision that the July Charter will be based on consensus. Regarding reforms, our answer remains the same: we will implement both the reforms and the July Charter based on consensus," he said.
"It is an ongoing process; it is not something that will be completed all at once. Some reforms will take place before the election, based on consensus, and reform efforts will continue even after the election. Since all are committed to building the country, everyone recognises the necessity of reforms," he added.
In response to another question that if Tarique's return to the country was discussed in the meeting, Amir Khosru said they did not see any necessity for discussion on this matter.
"Tarique Rahman can return to the country whenever he wishes. Therefore, he will decide on this at the appropriate time," he said.
Answering a question whether there was any discussion on the formation of a government based on national unity, Amir Khosru said, "No, this is a post-election decision. It is the decision of those who will be elected. So there is nothing to discuss here."
This is the first time Yunus has met someone from BNP's supreme leadership since Sheikh Hasina's ouster on August 5, 2024. Senior BNP leaders have been attending talks with the government as Tarique has been in London since his release from prison during the 2007-2008 military-backed caretaker government.
Speculations about a possible meeting between Yunus and Tarique gained momentum after the chief adviser's UK visit was announced, although the meeting was not included in his official itinerary. On Tuesday, BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed that the chief adviser had invited Tarique to the meeting.
Tarique left his London residence around 1:00pm Bangladesh time, accompanied by Amir Khosru and BNP International Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir.
As they reached the hotel, the BNP leaders were greeted by party activists who gathered in front of The Dorchester, holding banners, placards, and posters.
Khalilur Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam welcomed Tarique and others. Yunus and Tarique exchanged pleasantries before the meeting began, with the BNP leader inquiring about the chief adviser's health and passing along greetings from his mother and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, followed by a brief conversation about the weather.
Tarique gifted Yunus two books: "No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference" by climate activist Greta Thunberg, and "Nature Matters: Vital Poems from the Global Majority" by Mona Arshi and Karen McCarthy Woolf, and a pen.
After the meeting concluded, Tarique was seen leaving the venue with a smile on his face. He also waved to the party leaders and supporters outside the hotel.
He also called BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to inform him about the discussion with Yunus, Fakhrul told reporters at the BNP Chairperson's Office in Gulshan.
Fakhrul hailed the meeting as a "turning point" in the country's politics, urging all sides to move past old disagreements and focus on fulfilling the people's expectations.
He said the nation had anxiously waited for the outcome of the meeting. He praised Tarique for demonstrating "true statesmanship" and thanked Yunus for taking the initiative to resolve political uncertainty.
"It's time to strengthen national unity and move swiftly toward a fair election in mid-February," Fakhrul said, calling for renewed momentum for a transition to democracy.
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