Staff Reporter :
With a view to strengthening unity and obtaining ideas about the upcoming general election, the BNP initiated discussions on Saturday with the political parties which were its partners in simultaneous movement against the Awami League government.
The new round of consultations began with a meeting involving leaders of the 12-party alliance. Members of the BNP liaison committee, led by the party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, attended the meeting, which started around 4 PM. BNP Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman were also present.
Later in the day, the BNP was scheduled to meet with leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, LDP, and the Labour Party. In the coming days, the party plans to hold talks with other like-minded parties and alliances.
A standing committee member stated that the discussions would cover the country’s current political scenario and seek alliance partners’ input regarding the upcoming election, the government’s reform initiatives, and the Chief Adviser’s proposed election roadmap.
He mentioned that future strategies would be devised based on suggestions from these allied parties. The BNP also aims to enhance unity among the allies and emphasize speaking with a unified voice to mount pressure on the government for holding the national election promptly, without unwarranted delays.
The discussions are also set to address the ongoing efforts by activists of the anti-discrimination movement to form a new political party, the “Jatiya Nagorik Committee.”
The BNP leader expressed concerns that the government might push the election to 2026 to give the “Jatiya Nagorik Committee” time to organize.
“We have no issue with anyone forming a political party. However, we strongly oppose any party being established under the patronage of the interim government or state machinery, as well as any delay in the election designed to allow such a party to consolidate itself under the guise of reforms,” he said.
On December 16, Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus hinted that the 13th National Parliamentary Election could be scheduled for late 2025 or the first half of 2026.
The following day, his press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, clarified that the general election is expected to be held by June 30, 2026. “He (the CA) has provided a timeline.
Could there be a clearer roadmap? You can anticipate the election to be held by June 30, 2026. This is a definitive roadmap,” Alam told reporters during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.
