DHAKA, Dec 16: Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, announced on Monday that the next general election could be held between late 2025 and the first half of 2026.
However, he emphasized that the timing will significantly depend on achieving political consensus and implementing necessary reforms ahead of the election.
“In a broad sense, we can aim for the election between the end of 2025 and mid-2026,” he stated during a televised address to the nation on Vijay Diwas.
Vijay Diwas marks the surrender of the Pakistan military to Indian forces, a pivotal event that led to Bangladesh’s liberation.
Yunus reiterated his call for conducting elections only after crucial reforms are completed.
“Yet, if political agreement allows for holding the election based on a well-prepared voter list with minor reforms, we could see elections by the end of 2025,” reported United News of Bangladesh, citing Yunus.
“If we incorporate the anticipated reforms in the electoral process, along with the recommendations from the Election Reforms Commission and based on national consensus, it might require an additional six months,” Yunus explained.
Yunus, who leads the caretaker government established following the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 due to a student-led uprising, underscored the significant work needed to update the voter list, a crucial aspect of the election process.
“The responsibility is now in their hands to initiate the formation of the future government. Preparations have begun, but there’s a considerable amount of work ahead,” he noted.
He mentioned that no one has yet had the chance to verify the voter list.
“We must ensure that all individuals who have become eligible to vote over the past 15 years are included in the voter list. This is a substantial undertaking,” he remarked.
Following the student uprising, Yunus highlighted that there is no margin for error, as many young people will be voting for the first time after being deprived of that opportunity in the past. (PTI)
