Politicians have expressed mixed reactions to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s remarks that “whenever we move forward with election preparations, various conspiracies emerge.” While some see the comments as nothing new, they believe any plot can be overcome by announcing a specific election date and moving ahead accordingly.
In a press release issued Saturday by the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser’s Office, Dr Yunus alleged that “fallen forces are trying to sabotage the election process by instigating unrest.” He urged all anti-fascist democratic forces to remain united to counter such efforts.
“If all the pro-uprising forces fail to unite and deliver a credible election, we will lose this historic opportunity,” Yunus said while speaking with top leaders of various political parties at the state guesthouse Jamuna.
He added that the defeated elements were creating trouble whenever they found an opening, severely disrupting the country's natural progress.
“Whenever we proceed with election plans, conspiracies resurface. But the reality is that no conspiracy can derail the democratic process. There is a clear consensus among all democratic forces when it comes to opposing fascism,” Yunus stated.
He also called on all political parties to cooperate in organizing a free and fair election.
Following the fall of the Awami League government in the July uprising, the interim government was formed on August 8. It later established several reform commissions. After receiving reports from these commissions, the government began holding a series of dialogues with political parties to build consensus. However, no final decisions have yet been made.
In the meantime, several political parties have demanded the announcement of an election date while calling for reforms and polls to be held simultaneously. The BNP and most other parties want elections to be held by December, while Jamaat-e-Islami has called for reasonable reforms before holding the polls by April. Jamaat also supports holding local government elections ahead of the national vote. The newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded that reforms and trials be completed before the general election.
Against this backdrop, on June 6, just a day before Eid-ul-Azha, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced in a televised address that the next parliamentary election would be held on any day in the first half of April next year.
"After reviewing the ongoing reform work related to justice, electoral process, and administration, I hereby declare that the next national election will be held on a day in the first half of April 2026,” he said. “Based on this announcement, the Election Commission will present a detailed roadmap at an appropriate time.”
While Yunus did not provide specific reasons for setting April as the election window, his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam addressed the matter the following evening (June 8), citing three main justifications: reforms, justice, and preparation for the polls.
Shafiqul said that some fundamental reforms were necessary before holding the election. To that end, 12 to 15 commissions had already been formed, and their recommendations were being received and discussed with political parties. He noted that a specific timeframe was required to ensure a fair, inclusive, and transparent election, and that April’s first half had been deemed appropriate for that purpose.
Despite the chief adviser’s announcement of an April election timeline, the BNP has remained firm in its demand for polls to be held in December.
On June 13, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus held a one-and-a-half-hour private meeting with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London. The meeting took place at the Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane and began at 2:00 pm Bangladesh time.
Following the meeting, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman read out a joint statement on behalf of the government and the BNP at a press conference. The statement said that the meeting between Professor Yunus and Tarique Rahman was held in a highly cordial atmosphere.
During the discussion, Tarique proposed holding the national election before the holy month of Ramadan next year. He noted that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also believed that such timing would be preferable. In response, the chief adviser reiterated that he had already announced that the election would take place in the first half of April 2026. However, if all preparations are completed, it could be held in the week before the start of Ramadan. In that case, sufficient progress would be required in areas of reform and justice by then.
The joint statement also mentioned that Tarique Rahman welcomed the Chief Adviser’s position and expressed gratitude on behalf of his party. The chief adviser also thanked Tarique for a constructive dialogue.
It is worth noting that, depending on the sighting of the moon, Ramadan is expected to begin on February 18 next year.
Following the announcement, the Election Commission began its preparations accordingly. However, the chief adviser’s remarks on Saturday have reignited political debate, especially in light of three major violent incidents that have occurred since June.
Mitford murder
On July 9, around 6:00 pm, a group of individuals attacked and killed scrap dealer Lal Chand, also known as Sohag (39), with stones and sharp weapons on the paved street of Rajani Ghosh Lane near Gate 3 of Mitford Hospital. The following day, on July 10, the victim’s elder sister Manjuara Begum filed a murder case with Kotwali Police Station, naming 19 individuals and listing 15 to 20 others as unidentified suspects. Police also filed a separate case under the Arms Act. So far, 11 individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Gopalganj violence
On July 16, violence erupted during an NCP programme in Gopalganj. Five people were killed and over 50 injured during clashes with law enforcement. To control the situation, the district administration initially imposed Section 144, which was followed by a curfew later that night. The curfew was extended several times thereafter.
Police registered 12 cases in Gopalganj Sadar, Kashiani, Kotalipara and Tungipara police stations, accusing individuals of attacking law enforcement, vandalising and torching vehicles, and engaging in anti-state activities. These include five murder cases, one case under the Special Powers Act, and six under the Anti-Terrorism Act. A total of 10,187 individuals have been accused in these cases.
Of them, 687 are named members of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, while the remaining 9,500 are unnamed. Since July 16, 336 individuals have been arrested in connection with these cases through raids across the district.
Protest at secretariat
On Monday, a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into Milestone School and College in the capital, killing 29 people including students, and injuring over 150. Following the incident, the government announced the postponement of Tuesday’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination at around 3:00am. The late-night announcement sparked confusion among students across the country, and the tragedy drew widespread condemnation nationwide.
In response, students from various educational institutions in Dhaka gathered in front of the Secretariat around 2:30 pm Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the education adviser and education secretary. After chanting slogans for more than 90 minutes, the protesters forced open the main gate of the Secretariat and entered the premises. Inside, they vandalised several vehicles before being chased out by police and army personnel. Law enforcers charged batons and fired sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Some students then hurled bricks and stones at the Secretariat from outside.
Later, the protesters regrouped at GPO intersection and the High Court area, from where they were also dispersed. On Wednesday night, police filed a case against 1,000 to 1,200 unidentified individuals over the incident. Four people have so far been arrested in connection with the case.
The Mitford, Gopalganj, and Secretariat incidents have sparked significant debate both at home and abroad. It was in this context that the chief adviser’s remarks from Jamuna guesthouse referencing conspiracies by “fallen forces” gained renewed attention.
Politicians' comments
Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and coordinator of the Left Democratic Alliance, told Banglanews: “What we call a conspiracy is really just an obstacle on the democratic path. If we move ahead with a clear election date, no conspiracy will stand. The notion of conspiracy isn’t new—it has always existed. But declaring the election date and proceeding with preparations will defuse it.”
BNP’s Research and Information Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, speaking on a private television talk show, said: “The real question today is that the election must be held soon, especially considering the ongoing deterioration of law and order. Defeated and mafia-backed elements are attempting to derail or delay the election by claiming the environment isn’t suitable. This has become a trend—saying the country lacks the conditions for elections. Yet we’ve had 12 elections, and this kind of unrest happens before each one. It doesn’t mean the country must be perfectly calm for an election to take place. The chief adviser himself admitted that there’s an attempt to create unrest and foil the polls. If that concern now takes priority and leads to an indefinite delay, then I fear the journey we began after the uprising—our dream of sovereignty—will become difficult to sustain.”
On the same programme, legal analyst Barrister Rashna Imam said, “There are indeed signs of attempts to delay the election. The recent violence in Gopalganj, and the Secretariat incident after the Milestone crash—these seem aimed at destabilising law and order. Two advisers were even confined. The chief adviser has hinted that elements of the fallen government were involved, based on intelligence reports. These are clear obstructions to the electoral process.”
She added: “Another obstacle comes from various demands—reform first, election later; justice first, then polls. These arguments are partly illogical. Justice isn’t something that can be rushed. It’s a time-consuming process. We saw how, even under the Awami League, the International Crimes Tribunal took two and a half years per trial, despite being expedited. We don’t want justice for the fallen regime to become questionable like that. So this talk of reform and justice before elections seems politically motivated—to delay the vote.”
Meanwhile, senior journalist MA Aziz recently claimed in a 'Tritiyo Matra' talk show that “the election is being intentionally delayed, and Dr Muhammad Yunus is behind it.” He alleged that Yunus has trapped the BNP in a political manoeuvre, making the election’s future increasingly uncertain.
