Published: June 3, 2025, 03:30 PM
A scheduled meeting to discuss reform proposals turned contentious on Monday (2 June) as leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the National Citizen Party (NCP) engaged in a heated exchange over the timeline for the upcoming national election.
The meeting, held at the Foreign Service Academy, marked the beginning of the second round of dialogues between political parties and the National Consensus Commission, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. While the meeting’s agenda was intended to focus on reforms proposed by the commission, most of the discussion revolved around whether the 13th national election should be held in December this year or delayed until next year.
The BNP delegation, led by Salahuddin Ahmed, firmly stated that elections must be held by 31 December. “BNP is not willing to allow even a single day beyond 31 December,” said Salahuddin, adding that, apart from constitutional amendments, all necessary reforms could be completed within a month.
Tensions escalated when NCP Convener Nahid Islam remarked that some parties pushing for a December election were “echoing India’s position.” This provoked a strong reaction from Salahuddin, who countered, “If wanting elections within December means aligning with India, then those who want to delay must also be speaking in line with the US or China.”
Multiple attendees confirmed that the exchange quickly turned into a heated argument between the two delegations. One political party leader, requesting anonymity, noted that the debate strayed from reform issues and became fixated on the election date.
“Some smaller parties simply echoed BNP’s stance without offering any independent opinion,” the leader added, criticizing the shift in focus away from structural reforms and toward electoral timelines.
Another participant said, “BNP’s insistence on a December election is impractical if reforms are not ready. If the government needs until June, delaying the election slightly should not be a problem.”
After the meeting, Salahuddin reiterated BNP’s position to reporters: “We believe a December election is achievable. Reforms necessary for an election can be enacted within a month if there’s consensus. Apart from constitutional changes, other reforms can be executed via executive orders.”
On the other hand, NCP’s Nahid Islam told the press that announcing an election date before implementing the July Charter would be premature. “We’ve waited this long; waiting a couple more months for meaningful reform is worth it. We demand electoral system reform, including restructuring the Election Commission and changes to electoral laws,” he said.
