by
.webp)
Dhaka, June 10, 2025: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia has directed senior party leaders to refrain from engaging in direct conflicts with the interim government's Chief Adviser or the government itself. She emphasized the need to consider all possible aspects regarding the upcoming election and proceed cautiously.
The directive was given during a meeting on Saturday night (June 7) at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence, Firoza, when members of the BNP’s standing committee visited her to exchange Eid-ul-Adha greetings. This information was confirmed through conversations with two leaders who attended the meeting.
Amid demands from BNP and most political parties for elections by December, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus announced on Friday (June 6) that the national election would be held in the first half of April next year. In response, BNP convened an emergency meeting of its standing committee that same night to discuss its stance on the new election roadmap. Divergent opinions emerged during the discussions. Subsequently, the standing committee issued a statement strongly criticizing the April election announcement and reiterating the demand for elections by December.
On Saturday, standing committee members, including Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Hafizuddin Ahmed, and Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, visited Khaleda Zia at Firoza to exchange Eid greetings.
According to sources, the issue of the government’s new election roadmap came up during the meeting. Khaleda Zia expressed concerns about holding elections in early April, citing challenges such as weather conditions and Ramadan. However, she advised against engaging in direct conflict with the interim government. She stated, “There’s no benefit for BNP in clashing with the government. Dialogue, not confrontation, is the better approach to resolving issues. We must also consider what happens if Dr. Yunus is no longer in the picture. We need to discuss how to move the election roadmap forward logically.”
Following the standing committee members’ visit, BNP Vice Chairmen Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Mohammad Shahjahan, Abdul Awal Mintu, and advisory council members Abdul Halim and Afroza Khanam Rita also met Khaleda Zia to exchange Eid greetings.
In light of Khaleda Zia’s instructions, the BNP standing committee held a meeting on Monday (June 9). Sources indicate that the meeting focused on her advice, concluding that dialogue is the best way to resolve issues. This suggests that BNP has softened its earlier rigid stance on holding elections in December, moving toward a more flexible position.
AI/MR
