The London meeting has given clarity and hope

We welcome the positive outcome of the meeting between the Chief Adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London, during which the chief adviser suggested that the election could take place before Ramadan—if sufficient progress is made on reforms and the trials related to the July-August uprising. This conditional acceleration reflects both sides' willingness to link the election timetable to concrete progress on judicial and institutional reforms.

We are relieved that the uncertainties regarding the election timing have been allayed by this announcement and that both sides have shown maturity and a willingness to cooperate with each other. This has significantly cooled down the tensions between the interim government and the BNP and has smoothed the path towards a more stable democratic process.

Read more

Election by the year-end is most logical

Four political parties and an alliance have welcomed the concurrence between the government and the BNP regarding the timing of the election. This is a significant breakthrough in a climate previously fraught with discord, mistrust, and ambiguity. The agreement indicates a noticeable shift from the chief adviser's earlier insistence on the polls taking place between December 2025 and June 2026, a timeline strongly opposed by the BNP, which demanded a December election.

Now there is a clear election roadmap that the nation has been waiting for—one that most parties are open to. The National Citizen Party, however, has expressed its disappointment, criticising the decision as being made to satisfy one particular party, the BNP. While their concerns regarding reforms and justice not receiving priority when making this announcement are understandable, the decision to give a definite timeline that is acceptable to most political parties has been a wise one. It has avoided the confrontational politics that was expected following growing resentment of the BNP, which is one of the largest political parties in the country. It has also opened space for dialogue.

Read more

Reform dialogue must deliver consensus

The challenge ahead for the chief adviser and his cabinet is to start meaningful electoral reforms and ensure that the process of delivering justice for those killed in the July-August uprising is initiated with fairness and transparency. The other major challenge is to ensure that the elections are held with maximum voter turnout and participation from all major parties, including the NCP.