DHAKA: Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, in an interview with BBC English, reiterated that he will hold elections between Dec 2025 and March 2026, depending on how quickly his govt can institute reforms he believes are necessary for free and fair polls.
Regarding the participation of deposed PM Sheikh Hasina and her party, Awami League, in the elections, Yunus said: “They have to decide if they want to participate… I cannot decide for them.”
Meanwhile, the head of the newly-launched Jatiya Nagorik Party stated that the govt has not been able to fully ensure public safety, making it difficult to hold a general election this year. “In the past 7 months, we all expected the policing system and law and order to be restored through short-term reforms. It has happened to some extent, but not to the level we expected,” Nahid Islam, 26, told Reuters.