 "Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Reuters file")
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main Opposition during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, has warned that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of the country is in no mood to hold elections and that it wants to rule for “20 years.”
An interim government was set up in the Southeast Asian country after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted following widespread protests that ultimately toppled her Awami League government.
BNP standing committee member Major (retired) Hafizuddin Ahmed said, “We know that the main function of this government is to hand over power to the elected representatives after holding a fair election. But, they want to stay in power for 20 years.”
The BNP leader called for quick political reforms so that elections could be held in Bangladesh at the earliest.
‘Don’t let Awami League come back’
He also urged people to prevent Awami League leaders from contesting the elections.
“The fascist government of the Awami League under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina has destroyed all the institutions of the country, including the police. The Awami League made the police ‘a killer force’,” Ahmed said.
The BNP leader claimed that the previous government’s hold on power was destabilised due to the vigorous movement led by the BNP and other political groups. Ultimately, students and their parents joined the movement, compelling Hasina to leave the country.
When will B’desh hold polls?
India’s neighbour is due for an election that will establish a permanent and more stable government. According to a report by the Times of India, an official from Yunus’ office has said that the leader has indicated that the polls will be held in “little over a year”.
Shafiqul Alam , the press secretary representing chief adviser Yunus’s office, said, “No timeline has yet been worked out.” The official added that the Yunus-led government will only be in a position to declare the dates of elections after the six commissions, which have been appointed to suggest reforms, submit their reports on December 31, 2024.
When asked about an exact timeline of the general elections, Alam said, “Six months would be very little time for making the preparations and two years would be stretching it,” adding that they will “certainly” be held in “less than two years.”