Pressure Mounts On Yunus As BNP Rejects April Election Timeline, Eyes December Polls
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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party cited concerns over the timing, particularly the overlap with the holy month of Ramadan, school examinations, and adverse summer weather conditions
Bangladesh's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, who faces mounting pressure to announce the national election schedule, used his Eid-ul-Azha address on Friday to declare that the polls would be held 'on any one day during the first half of April 2026"—marking a shift from his earlier statement that elections would be held by June 2026.
However, Yunus' announcement was strongly rejected by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which alleged that the April timeline is part of a calculated move to delay the election process further.
On Friday night, the BNP convened a special meeting of its national standing committee, chaired by acting chairman Tarique Rahman, to respond to the development.
In a statement following the meeting, BNP said: 'The chief adviser's Eid address went beyond the traditional festive message and ventured into political issues unrelated to the Interim Government's stated three-point mandate."
The party criticised his discussion of topics like ports and economic corridors, calling it inappropriate and politically biased. The tone and language of Yunus's speech were also described as crossing the boundaries of political decorum. BNP rejected the April election proposal outright, citing concerns over the timing — particularly the overlap with the holy month of Ramadan, school examinations, and adverse summer weather conditions.
The party questioned why elections could not be held by December 2025, pointing out that Yunus provided no specific justification for the delay.
It reiterated that the people of Bangladesh, who have been deprived of voting rights for nearly 15 years, deserve a timely election. BNP also referenced the sacrifices of citizens during the July–August 2024 uprising, warning that any further delay would deepen public frustration and anger.
Sources in Dhaka indicate that BNP is now planning to launch a nationwide campaign to mobilise public support against the April election timeline. The party believes that holding elections during Ramadan is impractical and could ultimately be used as an excuse to postpone elections altogether.
Furthermore, BNP is expected to reach out to other opposition parties to build a united front. Nearly 20 political parties are reportedly in favour of holding elections in December, and BNP aims to coordinate efforts with them to mount further pressure on the interim government.
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