The secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, clarified that they are not demanding elections immediately, but after implementing what he termed “minimum reforms.”
He came up with the clarification while speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club on Tuesday, marking the 89th birth anniversary of Ziaur Rahman and the 12th founding anniversary of the Zia Memorial Library.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam said, “Some people misunderstand me—why do you stick to the demand for an election? Yes, students, in particular, make such statements. The only reason here is that we believe any elected government is better than an unelected one.”
He added that the public has access to an elected government, a feature the current government lacks.
The BNP secretary general further said, “We are not asking for an election right now. Most of the prevailing issues would be resolved if an election is held after carrying out minimum reforms.”
Expressing optimism about the reform initiatives, he said reform proposals are being submitted. “We believe the chief adviser will soon invite us in this regard and move forward toward a solution. There will be discussions, and we will be able to reach a unanimous decision.”
Defending the demand for a prompt election following reforms, Fakhrul said that an elected government is crucial to addressing the prevailing issues.
“Here, an elected government, which comes to power with the people’s mandate, is necessary. They (the current interim government) are yet to settle down, and also lack required confidence. It is crucial to understand the public voices. We believe only an elected government can do this in the most efficient way,” he added.
Earlier, the BNP urged the interim government to take initiatives for holding the next parliamentary elections by July and August this year, saying that it believes the polls could be held within the timeframe.
Mirza Fakrhul Islam Alamgir made the call while speaking at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s office in the capital’s Gulshan area on 14 January.
“We have repeatedly stated that there is no alternative to an elected government. It is crucial for democracy,” said Mirza Fakhrul. “We believe elections can be held in the middle of this year, by July and August. Therefore, we urge the government, the election commission, and all political parties to take necessary steps to hold elections by the time in the greater national interest.”
Mirza Fakhrul noted that the national elections were a key topic of discussion at the meeting. “There was a long discussion regarding the chief adviser’s statement about holding the election either at the end of the current year, or at the middle of 2026. We believe there is no point in such a delay.
“With the election commission already formed and governance showing relative stability, we believe the elections can proceed sooner. The reform commissions’ reports are due tomorrow, Wednesday, so there is no ground to delay further. The longer we wait, the greater the political and economic crisis becomes.”
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