Bangladesh crisis: Khaleda Zia's BNP presses for election dates as Yunus prepares for Japan visit

Political uncertainty continues to mount in Bangladesh as the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) intensifies pressure on the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to announce a clear timeline for national elections. The BNP, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has expressed strong discontent over Yunus’s silence on holding elections by December, a timeline previously suggested as a possible return to democratic order.

With no official commitment yet on the election schedule, Yunus is set to embark on an official visit to Japan from 28 to 30 May. During this visit, Bangladesh is expected to sign two major loan agreements with Japan, amounting to $1.074 billion.

The BNP, however, remains unconvinced. Party leaders argue that international engagements must not come at the cost of delaying the restoration of democratic governance. “The people of Bangladesh are waiting for a firm assurance. Yunus’s silence only adds to the prevailing mistrust,” a senior BNP leader said, urging immediate clarity on the poll timeline.

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Recently, Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman along with the navy and air force chiefs met Yunus and reportedly reiterated their call for election by December this year to allow an elected government to take charge and conveyed their reservation about the corridor issue.

Several analysts called the meeting crucial to consolidate the military strength. During last year’s protests, the army avoided a crackdown, instead extending its hand for Hasina’s safe exit to India. It also supported Yunus’ appointment as chief adviser, as demanded by the SAD, much of which later formed the NCP.

Yunus’s administration recently disbanded Hasina’s Awami League, sending many of its senior leaders, including former ministers, to jail to face trial for charges like crimes against humanity.

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The South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been in political turmoil since the ouster of the previous regime. The situation has escalated over the last few days with rival parties and trade unions or pressure groups protesting on the streets of the capital Dhaka with a string of competing demands.