Abu Jakir :
As uncertainty deepens over Bangladesh’s political transition, a broad coalition of political parties is intensifying pressure on the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, to provide a definitive timeline for the next general election and a clear roadmap for the country’s future.
Over the weekend, leaders from major political groups – including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as various centrist, leftist, and religious parties – held meetings with Chief Adviser Yunus, urging that the nation cannot remain in indefinite limbo. They insisted that elections must be held promptly, under conditions ensuring credibility, transparency, and public trust.
This push for clarity follows widespread speculation that Professor Yunus, under increasing pressure, was considering resignation – a report that emerged late Thursday and quickly spread among political and diplomatic circles, heightening anxieties in the capital.
Saturday’s meeting at the Jamuna State Guest House between the interim leader and senior representatives of the BNP, Jamaat, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) sought to ease tensions but instead intensified demands for a firm electoral timetable alongside plans for institutional reforms and transitional justice.
Speaking remotely from London on Sunday during the 18th anniversary of the National People’s Party (NPP), BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman made his stance unequivocally clear.
“The people want to see a free and fair national election under this interim government by December,” he said. “We conveyed this to Dr Yunus during our meeting. The demand for elections by December is not just ours – it reflects a national expectation.”
While Rahman adopted a firm tone, other leaders emphasised the need for balance. Mojibur Rahman Monju, chairman of the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), told reporters that an election “by February if possible” would be acceptable, but stressed that the transition must be consensus-driven rather than rushed. He also highlighted concerns over internal divisions within the interim leadership, suggesting a reshuffle of the Advisory Council to restore unity.
“We told the Chief Adviser that the student movements which brought us here have lost cohesion. Some advisers have even worked to sow division. We need a reset. This is no time for egos,” he said.
Throughout Sunday evening, a steady flow of political figures-including Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Mufti Rezaul Karim, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis’s Maulana Mamunul Haque, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi-converged at the Jamuna State Guest House. Former student leader and Gano Adhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur also participated in discussions.
Earlier, a separate session brought together leftist activist Mujahidul Islam Selim, Liberal Democratic Party chief Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed, Citizens’ Platform’s Mahmudur Rahman Manna, and representatives from Ganosamhati Andolon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and the Bhasani Janashakti Party.
While many parties called for elections by year-end, there was no unanimous deadline. “We want a fair election,” Manna said after the meeting. “We did not specify a date, as we do not support imposing artificial deadlines. Whatever time it takes, what matters is credibility.”
Others warned that excessive delay could be detrimental. “Prolonged postponement of reforms could be counterproductive,” said Mujahidul Islam Selim. “There are forces both within and outside the country seeking to reverse the gains of this transition. Failing to prevent that would betray those who sacrificed for change.”
At the centre of the political storm remains Professor Yunus, who, despite mounting pressure, has maintained a measured position. “If reforms are limited,” he said, “the election will be held in December. If they progress further, it may be in June.”
His remarks reflect a careful balancing act: managing growing domestic demands while overseeing a fragile transition in a nation still reeling from the military-backed removal of the former government last August.
For now, the future remains uncertain. Yet the message from Bangladesh’s political establishment is clear: time is running out, and the country cannot endure an indefinite wait for a return to democratic governance.
