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United Nations Development Program Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Gwen Lewis has said it is up to the interim government and political parties to decide when the next parliamentary election will be held in Bangladesh.
She made the statement while responding to a question on Tuesday about the BNP's demand to hold the 13th national election by the middle of this year, reports bdnews24.com.
The UNDP delegation led by Lewis held a meeting with the chief election commissioner at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon. She later spoke to the media alongside Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin.
Asked about the possible timing of the polls, she said: “That’s outside of the scope of the election mission. It’s really a decision of the political parties and Muhammad Yunus’s government. We are not touching on timelines.”
The BNP and like-minded parties are at loggerheads over the date of the 13th national elections with the interim government that took charge after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in a mass uprising.
In a national address on Dec 16, 2024, Yunus outlined the government’s perspective on the election timeline, tying it to the scope of necessary reforms and logistical preparations.
He stated that if the election is to proceed with a few reforms and a properly updated voter list, it might be feasible to hold the polls by the end of 2025.
However, Yunus added a caveat, noting that broader reforms to the electoral process would require additional time. “It may take at least another six months of additional time.”
“Roughly speaking, the election date can be set between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026.”
Being dissatisfied with Yunus' announcement, the BNP has been demanding a specific date for the election. However, the government says that the reform process and the announcement of the election schedule will come after the report of the commissions formed on state reform.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “We have repeatedly said that the government has no alternative but to go for an election. It is the most important thing for a democracy. I believe that it is possible to hold elections midway through this year, meaning in July or August.”
"That's why we want to call on the government, on the Election Commission and on the political parties to make arrangements for the election in the middle of this year in the larger interest of the country."
Lewis said the EC had sent a letter to the United Nations seeking assistance in the election. UNDP's mission is working to determine what assistance is needed and how it will be done. To this end, the UNDP delegation will stay in Bangladesh for the next 10 days to meet with political parties, the Election Commission, civil society, teachers, and other stakeholders, she said.
Asked which political parties the delegation will sit with, the UN resident coordinator said: “As many as possible, they will meet every political party we can think of in Bangladesh.”
The EC has already initiated the process for door-to-door registration so they need equipment support. That’s been part of the conversation, she added.