Yunus to meet Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman in London, will Bangladesh go for an early vote?

Leaders of Bangladesh’s interim government and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) are set to meet in London on Friday (June 13) in what could be a potential turning point in the democratic trajectory of the South Asian nation. The meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman comes at a time when both sides are at odds over the timing of the national election. Tarique is the son of former PM Khaleda Zia and now represents the country’s largest political party, following the interim government’s decision to outlaw deposed PM Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.

Tussle over election timing

Muhammad Yunus, who embarked on his UK visit on Monday (June 9), declared last week that national elections would be held in the first half of April 2026. He claimed the interim government needed time to implement reforms.

However, the BNP is pressing the government to hold elections by December this year, saying the reforms can be implemented much earlier.

This came after Zia earlier said that Yunus being in power without being elected for around a year is a threat to democracy. She also urged her party cadres to hold protests in the country.

Notably, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman in May also waded into the political crisis and pressed the Yunus government to hold polls by December.

The BNP is now hoping to see resolution in the Friday meeting between Yunus and Tarique Rahman

“We hope this meeting will play a positive role in resolving the challenges facing the political landscape of Bangladesh,” said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

“This meeting is the most significant event at present and holds great importance both nationally and internationally. Many issues could be resolved through this meeting, and new dimensions may emerge,” Fakhrul added.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the party had some proposals and observations to make to ensure the interim government’s neutrality in the polls.

“Political discussions will certainly take place, along with talks about the current situation in the country. We are hopeful that the chief adviser will reconsider his decision [regarding election date], and also discuss the overall situation of the country and the current political situation,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.