Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), increasingly exasperated by the interim government’s failure to declare a definitive election date, is preparing to take to the streets with a demand for polls by December.
According to senior party figures, the BNP intends to hold rallies and other events across major cities and district towns to galvanise public support and mount pressure on the administration.
Party leaders claim that the delay in announcing a clear electoral roadmap is a calculated move to prolong the tenure of the interim government under the guise of reforms.
However, before launching a full-fledged mass movement, the BNP leadership plans to hold a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, hoping the discussion will yield a concrete election timeline.
"We will discuss the election date with him, and then we will consult our partners and like-minded political parties to finalise our strategy. After that, we will take our message to the people," said Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP’s standing committee.
In his televised address on 25 March, on the eve of Independence Day, Prof Yunus stated that the next election would be held between December this year and June next year.
He also said the newly formed Consensus Commission was collecting input from political parties regarding the proposed reforms.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the standing committee would soon meet to discuss the possible meeting with the chief adviser and to finalise plans for fresh protest programmes.
The party had staged several demonstrations before Ramadan, but its street presence has since quietened.
A senior BNP leader remarked, “They're using reforms as a pretext to extend their stay in power.”
Four days after Prof Yunus’s address, Fakhrul criticised the lack of a clear election roadmap, calling it a sign of “political inexperience”.
Party insiders believe only a definitive timeline can resolve the prevailing political uncertainty, as it would allow parties to begin preparations in earnest.
Many BNP leaders, eager to contest the next general election, campaigned in their constituencies during the Eid holidays, reportedly encouraged by the party to continue groundwork until new protest programmes are announced.
"A strong push must be made to mount pressure on the interim government to hold the election. We have recently held rallies in various districts to make our position clear. We will take to the streets again and gradually intensify the demonstrations," said another standing committee member.
BNP is also holding talks with like-minded parties to coordinate a broader, unified movement.
A senior party leader indicated that the crucial meeting with the chief adviser is expected to take place within a week or so.
While the BNP has called for the interim government to undertake only essential reforms and leave major overhauls to an elected government, parties such as the National Citizen Party have urged the administration to complete all reforms before the handover.
