Dhaka, June 3
Salahuddin Ahmed, a Standing Committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Tuesday said holding national elections in the country before December is very much possible as completing necessary reforms based on a consensus could take less than a month.
"December is far too late. It is possible to hold the election before then. If the reform proposals, excluding those related to constitutional amendments, are accepted through national consensus, they can be implemented in less than a month," Salahuddin was quoted as saying by the local media at a discussion organised by the Gono Odhikar Parishad on Tuesday.
Reiterating that they are yet to find any valid argument to justify delaying elections beyond December, Salahuddin further observed: "We are all in favour of democracy and a prompt election to establish the people's right to vote. There is not a single reason that justifies holding the election after December".
The interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has been facing increasing pressure from various political parties, including the BNP, to hold elections by the end of this year.
BNP remains confident of securing a majority in the elections while Yunus, currently swimming in the strong currents of anarchic, violent, volatile politics of the country, insists on implementing democratic reforms first and push back polls to June 2026.
Last month, BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman urged the youth and the people of the country to ensure that elections take place by December.
"Historically, caretaker governments in Bangladesh have shown that national elections can be organised and executed within three months. However, even 10 months into its tenure, the interim administration led by Yunus is still to announce an election date. The people of Bangladesh deserve better. We seek a nation free from authoritarianism, led by a government elected through a fair vote, and accountable to its citizens," Rahman said while addressing a BNP rally virtually from London.
"If any of you want to stay in power, resign from your positions, stand with the people, contest elections, and if you win, return to lead the government," he added.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) of Bangladesh has not explicitly supported a December election date. The party's Nayeb-e-Ameer and former lawmaker, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said that the party wants a roadmap outlining elections between December and April.
It is noteworthy that a seven-member full bench Appellate Division of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Refat Ahmed scrapped a High Court ruling on Sunday, that previously declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party illegal. The verdict removed all legal barriers against Jamaat from participating in national elections.
On Monday, Yunus chaired the National Consensus Commission (NCC) meeting where there was a growing consensus among leaders of various political parties on the "urgency of timely elections."
The Chief Advisor has just returned home from his visit to Japan, his 10th visit abroad in the last 10 months even as Bangladesh continues to simmer with protests and citizens remain on edge about political and economic developments in the undemocratic, volatile political and unfavourable socio-cultural landscape.
Yunus is scheduled to undertake another overseas visit, this time to London, from June 10-13 after Eid.
- IANS
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