Summary:
- The BNP has demanded national elections be held by mid-2025, prioritizing them over local government polls.
- BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman presided over the emergency Standing Committee meeting virtually from London.
- The party criticized the interim government’s tax hikes on over 100 goods and services during the fiscal year.
- BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will announce these decisions at a press conference today.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced its intention to demand that the national elections be held by mid-2025, citing public sentiment and political urgency. This decision was finalized during an emergency meeting of the party’s Standing Committee on the evening of January 13, 2025, at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The meeting was presided over virtually by BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from London, with key senior leaders in attendance.
The party’s leadership expressed dissatisfaction with the interim government’s approach to election scheduling, emphasizing that prioritizing local government elections before national polls would be a “waste of time.” According to sources from the meeting, BNP leaders believe that a mid-2025 timeline for national elections aligns with the people’s wishes and should take precedence over other electoral activities. They also asserted that local government elections should be conducted by the next elected administration.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon at the BNP Chairperson’s office to formally communicate the decisions made during the meeting. The press conference is expected to outline the party’s strategy for pushing its demands through public engagements such as meetings and seminars.
In addition to election-related discussions, the BNP Standing Committee voiced concerns over recent increases in value-added tax (VAT), taxes, and duties on over 100 goods and services during the ongoing fiscal year. The party criticized these measures as burdensome for citizens already grappling with economic challenges.
The meeting also expressed satisfaction with the improving health condition of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who has been receiving medical treatment abroad. Senior leaders, including Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Zamir Uddin Sircar, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, were physically present at the meeting. Meanwhile, Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain joined virtually from London.
This development comes amidst growing tensions between political parties and the interim government over election timelines. The BNP and its allies have repeatedly called for greater transparency and consultation in setting a roadmap for national elections. Critics within political circles have accused the government of delaying elections to accommodate new political dynamics, further straining trust between stakeholders.
As political discourse intensifies, today’s press conference by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is anticipated to shed light on how the BNP plans to mobilize public support for its demands and navigate Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape.
Source: TBS News
