Law Adviser of the interim government Dr. Asif Nazrul on Wednesday (Apr 16) said as per the pledge of Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the general elections will be held between December 2025 and June 2026. "Whatever anyone says, you should not get confused... the polls will not be held after June (will be held by June)," he told reporters after a Bangladesh Nationalist Party – BNP delegation held a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka, local media reported.
Briefing reporters in front of Jamuna in the afternoon, Asif Nazrul said the BNP has sought elections by December. About the outcomes of the meeting, he said the BNP is very sincere about reforms and the meeting was held with the BNP leaders in a cordial environment.
Outlining the interim government's plan for holding the national elections, Asif Nazrul said the roadmap will be announced two months before the polls. He also clarified that the polls would be held as soon as possible anytime between December and June next, saying despite announcing the July Charter, it may take time to take legal and policy measures in this regard.
During the meeting, Asif Nazrul said, the BNP leaders raised that some decisions of the interim government have gone against the BNP. "We also gave examples that some decisions of us have gone in favour of BNP," he added.
About the BNP's demand of withdrawal of political cases, he said over 7,000 cases were withdrawn in the last three months and about 16,000 cases remain in list to be withdrawn.
He said BNP mentioned that their leaders and workers were oppressed during the 15-year fascist regime and of course, the government has shown respect to their claim.
The law adviser said BNP has shown a positive response to the proposals of the National Consensus Commission and other reform commissions of the government. "They have agreed to most of the reform proposals. The July Charter will be finalised soon. They (BNP) also assured us (of their cooperation). We think that BNP is very sincere to the reforms," he said, adding that once the July Charter is declared, it will accelerate the process of holding polls.
Claiming that the country's people have an expectation that the interim government will hold the trial of the July-August carnage, Asif Nazrul said over 1,000 people sacrificed their lives and 50,000 to 60,000 people lost their limbs permanently.
"The trial is one of main aspirations of the July uprising and if the interim government holds the polls without completing the trial, how will it answer to the people and themselves as well?" he questioned.
Asif Nazrul said holding the election depends on reforms, the trial of the July carnage and some decisions of the interim government.
Replying to a question about the trial of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who fled to India on Aug 5 last, the law adviser said there will be no delay in the trial of Hasina.
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present at the press briefing.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul and Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan were present at the meeting with BNP delegation.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the party delegation during the meeting with the Chief Adviser. BNP Standing Committee Members Jamiruddin Sirkar, Salahuddin Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Nazrul Islam Khan comprised the delegation.
