Amir Khosru casts doubt on Yunus govt’s ability to hold election

Senior BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has questioned the interim government if the general election is being set beyond December in the interest of any particular group, also casting doubt on the administration’s ability to hold polls in future.

On Sunday, he said 90 percent of the political parties seek national polls within December.

“A question about whether an election under this government is possible has emerged in the minds of the people,” he said.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has been clamouring for the 13th parliamentary elections by December as the interim government moves with the state reform initiatives.

Addressing the nation on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha on Sunday, Chief Advisor Yunus said: “After reviewing the ongoing reform activities related to justice, reform and elections, I am announcing to the countrymen that the next national election will be held on a day in the first half of April 2026.”

The BNP expressed “disappointment” and said that April was “not suitable” for the election.

The party's Standing Committee member Khosru said, “I think over 90 percent of political parties have decided to hold elections in December. They have made their proposals and opinions clear.

“Since our reform initiatives are supposed to be completed in a year or one and a half years, taking longer [for an election] is unreasonable.”

On trying the perpetrators of the July massacre, he said, “The judicial process is in progress, under the judiciary. This is happening in court, the trials will continue regardless of which government [is in charge].”

Noting that the government’s window to adjudicate those charged for crimes during the July Uprising extends until, he said: “If the government still cannot bring them [to justice], BNP will enact justice upon those who remain.”

He stressed that no other party in Bangladesh suffered more than BNP, reports bdnews24.com.

"It is the BNP’s responsibility to ensure that all those involved in this oppression are brought to justice. We will pursue this, regardless of whether anyone else does. And once that is done, the election cannot be delayed beyond December under any circumstances."

He said, “According to many, elections should be held in October or November after these issues are resolved. So why after December? This question has emerged in everyone’s mind. In whose interest should it be held after December? In the interest of which group?

“If a decision is made in the interest of that group, ignoring 90 percent of political parties, then doubts will arise in people’s minds."

Claiming that almost all political parties in the country want elections by December, he said, “What happens if [the timeline] is pushed after December which is followed by the month of Ramadan, our month of sacrifice and restraint, of religious sentiments?

“We don’t want election programmes that month. Then we have exams, followed by weather-related problems, cyclones. So we want elections by December. That is our decision.”

BNP leaders and activists came to Amir Khasru’s house on Sunday to exchange Eid greetings.