Holding nat’l polls this year may be difficult, Nahid tells Reuters

NN Online:

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Nahid Islam – who recently resigned as an adviser to the interim government – has said holding the next general election this year will be challenging due to administrative failures in ensuring public safety across the country.

He made these remarks during an exclusive interview with the UK-based news agency Reuters and his remarks came in response to a statement by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who, in an interview with BBC, said the general elections in Bangladesh would be held between December 2025 and March 2026, depending on the speed at which his government could implement reforms deemed essential for ensuring free and fair elections.

“In the past seven months, we all expected the policing system, law and order to be restored through short-term reforms. It has happened to an extent, but not up to our expectations. In the current law and order situation and policing system, I don’t think it is possible to hold a national election,” the 26-year-old said in his first interview as NCP head at his government-provided villa in Dhaka.

Nahid, who was until recently an adviser in the interim government, is the first politician of significance to cast doubt on Yunus’ timeframe for an election.

Political analysts believe his youth-led party could significantly reshape national politics, dominated for decades by Hasina’s Awami League party and her rival, former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Those parties have demanded early elections, arguing that power should be returned to a democratically elected government.

Incidents of unrest include attacks on symbols of Hasina’s government and clashes between student groups. There have also been reports of attacks on homes, businesses and temples of Hindus and other minorities in the Muslim-majority nation, though the interim government says those reports are exaggerated.

Islam said the NCP, which was formed just last week, would be ready for the polls whenever they are held.

However, he added that before elections can be held, it would be crucial to reach a consensus on the so-called “Proclamation of the July Revolution” – a charter that the interim government plans to prepare in consultations with political parties and student activists.

The document is intended to reflect the aspirations of the Bangladeshi people and honour the 1,000 people who died in last year’s violence. Student protestors dropped calls for changes to the constitution after the interim government said it would prepare the proclamation.

“If we can reach that consensus within a month, we can call for elections immediately. But if it takes more time, the election should be deferred,” he added.