Why Yunus' election-by-June plan is raising suspicion and fears

India Today

6 days ago

Under immense pressure to hold elections by December, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has repeatedly reiterated that it plans to hold the national polls by June 2026. But the June timeline has few takers in Bangladesh. Citing the calendar of events and occurrences, they argue the election will have to be conducted in December or will get pushed to the winter of 2026. And there is a reason why Bangladesh's main political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), smells a rat in Yunus' June poll vow, and views it as a ploy to delay polls further.advertisementWhile the BNP, poised to capitalise on Sheikh Hasina's ouster, insists on elections by December 2025, aligning with Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman's stern directive on the same, ousted Hasina's former ally, the Jatiya Party has demanded a clear electoral road map.The BNP, which has threatened to launch a nationwide agitation demanding elections by December, fears that Yunus' extended timeline could be a tactic to manipulate outcomes or suppress public momentum.
It argues that the first half of 2026 is packed with public exams, Ramzan, Eid, Kalboishakhi storms, monsoon disruptions, and Bakrid, all of which could complicate logistics and fuel concerns that delays may derail the democratic transition, which even to neutral observers looks fragile.BNP SMELLS THE RAT IN YUNUS' JUNE 2026 POLL DIKTATFollowing marathon meetings with Chief Adviser Yunus over the weekend to resolve the deadlock over the election road map, the BNP delivered its official response at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, saying it was disappointed and confused about why the interim head is hell-bent on holding the polls during harsh weather.advertisement"We have said before that December is the right time for elections, and we stand by that. After December, Ramadan will fall in February, followed by the monsoon season. There are also major public examinations like the SSC and HSC. That's why we believe any time after December would not be suitable for holding elections," senor BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was quoted as saying by the Dhaka-based Prothom Alo.Hossain, according to the report, pointed out that, apart from the June 1996 election which was held under exceptional circumstances, all other national elections in Bangladesh have traditionally taken place in December or January.In Bangladesh, pre-monsoon Kalbaishakhi storms occur between March and April, followed by the monsoon season from May or June to September. During this time, cyclones often hit the country, disrupting life across vast swathes, from coastal belts to inland towns, damaging infrastructure and displacing thousands.Ramzan, a month of fasting and spiritual focus, also makes it logistically unfeasible to hold elections due to reduced working hours and limited public engagement. Additionally, during the public exam period (typically February to April), most school and college teachers are tied up with invigilation and evaluation duties, and result processing for several months, making them largely unavailable for crucial election duties.advertisement"We had hoped for a positive response from the government on the election issue, but that didn't happen. The statement conveyed by the press secretary about the chief advisor's talks with political parties reflects the absence of a clear road map for the national elections," added Hossain.The Dhaka-based Daily Star quoted Hossain demanding a clear road map and the removal of "controversial advisers" from Yunus' cabinet, signalling distrust in the interim government's neutrality.HASINA'S ALLY JATIYA PARTY WANTS CLEAR POLL ROAD MAPThe Jatiya Party, which was previously an ally of Hasina's Awami League and faced attacks following the regime's fall in August 2025, is also demanding a clear electoral timeline.Bangladesh's Jatiya Party leader Masroor Mawla, while calling for free, fair, and inclusive elections on a level playing field, said that until the election schedule is announced, the country will not attract any new investments, reported news agency ANI in March."Unless the election is declared, no new investment will come in Bangladesh... Whenever we talk to the international community, they only talk about elections. They want to hear an election roadmap for Bangladesh. Unless the election is declared, no new investment is coming. The old investors, I mean the investors who have already invested huge amounts of money in Bangladesh, also feel insecure," Mawla was quoted as saying by the news agency.advertisementSlamming the Yunus government, Mawla said, "For the past six or seven months, this interim government has been running the country, but we have seen no development, only a rising rate of everyday crimes. The economy has completely deteriorated as no new investors are coming to Bangladesh at the moment".ARMY CHIEF ZAMAN HAD WARNED YUNUS TO CONDUCT POLLS BY DECEMBER 2025Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had last week issued a stern warning to Yunus to ensure polls by December. He said, "the right to shape the nation's future belongs to an elected government".Muhammad Yunus, appointed interim chief adviser after a student-led uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, has repeatedly said that elections would be in June 2026.However, this timeline has drawn sharp criticism, more so after it warned of "public-backed action" against "unreasonable demands".Tune InMust Watch