Election timing hinges on political parties, says press secretary

He confirms that once decisions are reached, the public will be notified without delay

The timing of Bangladesh's upcoming national election will depend on the demands of political parties, Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday evening at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, he explained that if all parties demand the election to be held in December, the interim government will consider their wishes.

"The chief advisor has not fixed a date yet; it depends on what the political parties want," Shafiqul said.

His remarks came shortly after a meeting between Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, after which the BNP leader said the government has “assured” the party that it is working towards holding the election within December.

After the nearly one-and-a-half-hour meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna, Fakhrul told journalists, “We are hopeful, as are the people, that the election will take place soon and that the chief advisor will announce a roadmap.”

A delegation from BNP, headed by Mirza Fakhrul, met the interim prime minister at his official residence on Monday evening to discuss the matter.

Regarding the meeting, the press secretary said: "The BNP has called for early elections. The chief advisor told them that the task of the National Consensus Building Commission will be to work on this matter promptly.

In response to a question, Shafiqul said: "There has been no significant discussion regarding local elections. They want the national election to be held quickly, preferably in December. We are considering this matter on our end.

“The advisory council will review it, and once a decision is made, the public will be informed."

When asked about the BNP’s assertion that the government had promised elections in December, he said: "If there is any decision, you will be informed."