The country’s politics is heating up. The kind of unity that was seen among political parties after the July-August uprising is gradually disappearing. In particular, differences are becoming increasingly clear over the date of the next general elections.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the largest political party, is demanding elections by December.
A delegation led by BNP Secretary General MirzaFakhrul Islam Alamgir met with Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday and demanded a roadmap for elections by December.
Apart from the parties allied with BNP, several other leftist parties have also demanded elections by December.
Jamaat-e-Islami, on the other hand, wants national elections to take place before the upcoming Ramadan, which is expected to begin in February next year. It too wants only after necessary reforms are implemented.
And the National Citizens Party (NCP), a new group of student leaders that led the July-August mass uprising, wants a roadmap for reforms and the Constituent Assembly elections before the national elections.
In this landscape, Bangladesh’s political future hangs in the balance as the interim government nears nine months in office with no definite date announced yet for national election.
But the BNP and like-minded parties have indicated that they will start a movement demanding general elections by December. As a result, conflicting positions and tensions in politics are gradually increasing.
It is to be noted that the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus took office following the last year’s July- August mass uprising that led to the ousting of the long- standing fascist Hasina government.
After the meeting with the Chief Adviser, Mirza Kakhrul made in clear that if elections are not held by December, an undesirable situation may arise in the country.
Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has already given a message of maintaining national unity. He said this after visiting the Dhakeshwari Temple in the capital on Monday on the occasion of the Bengali New Year.
Meanwhile, a ‘March for Yunus’ programme was held in Narayanganj on April 13. The programme was held in front of the Narayanganj Press Club with the slogan ‘Reform first, elections later’.
The programme demanded that the term of the interim government should run the country at least for three years.
We want unity among political parties to remain unbroken. We believe that the interim government should take the initiative to hold national elections at a convenient time through discussions with political parties. No one wants another unstable situation to arise around the elections.
