Bangladesh: Is Chief Advisor Yunus Warning the Nation at Risk Without February 2026 Elections?

Dhaka, Sep 1 (NationPress) Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to Bangladesh's interim government, has stressed the necessity of conducting the general elections scheduled for February 2026. He cautioned that any attempt to disrupt or postpone the democratic process might jeopardize national stability, as reported by local media.

Yunus reiterated the interim government’s pledge to conduct the national elections in the first half of February 2026.

During a press briefing on Sunday evening, Shafiqul Alam, the Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary, confirmed Yunus’ statements following separate discussions with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party at his official residence in Dhaka.

“There is no substitute for an election. Any thoughts of alternatives would be catastrophic for the nation,” Alam quoted Yunus, as reported by The Daily Star.

These comments come amidst significant disagreements among political parties regarding the timing of the elections and the implementation of reforms.

Both Jamaat and NCP have demanded the execution of the July Charter before the elections and called for a ban on another political entity, Jatiya Party, claiming it has connections with the Awami League.

On the other hand, BNP is adamant that the elections must occur within the set timeline, allowing no room for delays.

After the meeting, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed concerns about a group trying to postpone the elections and tarnish their credibility.

“But there is no chance of that. The elections will occur as planned. The Chief Advisor affirmed this. He (Yunus) reached out to reassure us about the elections being on schedule. There should be no doubt about it,” the BNP leader declared.

Following the afternoon meeting, Jamaat leader Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher raised concerns about the interim government's capability to conduct a free and fair election, stating that it “cannot even control extortion.”

“The July Declaration made on August 5 was incomplete… Some issues were prioritized, while others were sidelined. The government should have been clear on the July Charter before announcing the election timeline,” he commented.

Reports indicate that NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib suggested conducting the February elections as a constituent assembly election to grant legal and constitutional recognition to the July Charter.

He also expressed worries about the Election Commission's impartiality, referencing a recent conflict within its office regarding constituency delimitation, and criticized the rule disallowing individuals who turn 18 after October 31 from voting.

Bangladesh has been engulfed in uncertainty regarding the upcoming general elections since the democratically elected Awami League government, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was ousted amid violent protests last year.