Despite government assurance of polls by December, the BNP would be pushing for prompt announcement of the election roadmap as it believes a quarter is out to delay the polls.

To ensure that the government keeps its word and holds the polls by December, the party would be on the street demanding the roadmap.

The BNP begins holding rallies in its 67 organisational districts from today and it would be making the demand from there as well.

The party would also urge its activists to remain vigilant amid the current political situation.

On Monday, a three-member BNP delegation met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. After the meeting, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that the government was working towards having the election in December.

Later that night, the BNP's standing committee, the party's highest policymaking body, held a meeting at the chairperson's office in Gulshan, where Fakhrul briefed party leaders on the discussions with Yunus.

A standing committee member, wishing not to be named, told The Daily Star that elections were the only way out of the current crisis, and it appeared that the interim government has realised it.

However, a political group is trying to create fear among people. The BNP intends to support the government in overcoming this and ensure the polls are held as promised, the member said.

During the standing committee meeting, BNP leaders pointed out that a particular group was exerting pressure on the government to delay the election.

Leaders of the July uprising have recently announced that they would be forming a new political party.

They want political reforms before election so that they get more time to form and organise the new party, BNP leaders believe.

As a pushback, the BNP must launch nationwide programmes to counter the pressure, BNP leaders believe.

They hope that large turnouts at district-level rallies would demonstrate the public support the party enjoys. Large rallies would not only put pressure on the government to announce the election roadmap, but also reassure party supporters.

BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku told The Daily Star that the chief adviser's assurances have provided a glimmer of hope.

He stressed the need for a roadmap to guide the country towards the election, which would end the ongoing political uncertainty.

At the standing committee meeting, BNP leaders asserted that a credible, free, and fair election was the only way to stabilise the situation, given the conspiracies by remnants of the fallen regime.

The government also informed the BNP that the first meeting of the National Consensus Commission would be on February 15, to which political parties would be invited. Yunus would explain the interim government's reform initiatives at the meeting.

The BNP expects the announcement of an election roadmap at this event.

At the meeting with the chief adviser, BNP leaders gave Yunus a letter that pointed out that some advisers of the government were involved in forming political parties. The party cautioned that no group should be allowed to manipulate the government's agenda for their political gain.

Signs of their influence in the process of party formation were increasingly evident, which the BNP sees as detrimental to democracy.

The party, however, stated that it welcomes any political party emerging from a legitimate democratic process, provided it is not used as an excuse to delay the election.

A senior BNP leader said the July proclamation was also discussed during the BNP delegation's meeting with Yunus. The party may hold talks on the proclamation with leaders of Students Against Discrimination in the coming days.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the party would start holding rallies at the district level to protest the soaring prices of essentials, deteriorating law and order, and to demand the swift announcement of an election roadmap.

The programme would continue until February 25.

Fakhrul, along with standing committee members, vice-chairmen, and senior leaders would join the rallies.