Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has welcomed the historic July Declaration and the announcement of timeline for the next national election, scheduled for February next year.
Speaking at a press conference at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan around 11:45am on Wednesday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the announcement would help overcome the current political deadlock and facilitate a return to democracy.
“The BNP believes that the government and the Election Commission will take the necessary steps to ensure the election is free, fair, and acceptable to all,” he said.
Fakhrul called upon all political parties and the people of Bangladesh to work together to make the upcoming election a success, which he described as a vital step toward institutionalising democracy and forming an effective parliament.
Citing past examples, he said, “After the student-led uprising in 1991, elections were held within just three months. A similar timeline is realistic now, especially because the people demand it.”
“We — the BNP and the entire nation — believe that a swift election is the only way to overcome the political crisis and return to a democratic order,” he added.
Expressing confidence in the Chief Adviser, Fakhrul said, “Professor Muhammad Yunus has so far shown through his actions that he would never do anything to make the election questionable.”
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, also present at the briefing, noted, “Yesterday’s declaration stated that the next elected parliament will implement all constitutional reforms and amendments. That is the legal, legitimate, and constitutional process.”