Election as early as possible between December and June, says Asif Nazrul

The advisor clarifies that the interim government will not intentionally stretch the timeline just to extend its tenure

The next general election will be held “as early as possible between December and June”, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul has said.

Speaking at the State Guest House Jamuna on Wednesday, Nazrul made plain the interim government's timeline for the election after a meeting between Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and the BNP.

He said: "The chief advisor has said from the beginning that the election will be held between December and June.

“In [Wednesday’s] discussion, we clarified a few points. December to June does not mean we will intentionally delay the polls until May or June. It means elections will take place as early as possible within that window.

“If December is feasible, it will be held in December. If not, then January.”

“What we meant was not that we will stay in power one or two months longer just to enjoy authority. There will be no unnecessary delay from our side,” the advisor added.

Nazrul said the BNP leaders asked what the point of a delay would be if the reforms were already done.

“We explained that even if the July Charter is finalised, implementing the required legal and policy measures sometimes takes time,” he added.

Giving an example, the advisor said: “Take the Digital Security Act — we had to draft it 23 times after consulting stakeholders, and it took several months.

“That’s why we said we can’t pinpoint a date just yet.”

“Even if the Charter is ready in July, things will not automatically fall in place. We will act only after wide consultations with all stakeholders,” he added.

ELECTION ROADMAP

Nazrul said there was no discussion on how long it might take to announce the roadmap. “The chief advisor will make that decision.”

He added, “You already know how it works. If you look at the pattern of previous elections, once the schedule is announced, 60 days are usually allowed.

“So, based on that, when we hold the election, we must announce the roadmap at least two months in advance."

OTHER ADVISORS’ REMARKS

Nazrul said: “There might be a slight difference of opinion on this matter. For example, someone said it would be better if the election were held within December.

“They [the BNP leaders] said our statements often seem unclear and that some of our advisors speak individually.

He added, “But we have categorically said that, no matter what anyone else says, the official position of the government is what the chief advisor has repeatedly said in his addresses to the nation.

“If anyone else makes any offhand comments based on personal opinion, they [the BNP leaders] should not be confused by them.”

‘JUSTICE MUST PRECEDE POLLS’

The advisor said: “The people of this country expect that we will ensure justice. Over 20,000 young people have lost their lives in Bangladesh, and 50,000 to 60,000 others have been permanently injured or lost their sight.

“The demand for justice is one of the core aspirations of this mass uprising. If we go ahead with the election without ensuring justice, how will we answer to the people or to ourselves?”

He added that the timeframe from December to June has been set not only for the election but also to allow for reforms, justice, and steps taken by the government.

Nazrul, however, made it clear that the election would not be delayed beyond June under any circumstances.

“Regardless of what anyone says, the chief advisor has repeatedly committed that the timeline will not exceed June,” he said.

‘THEY LOOKED SATISFIED TO ME AFTER THE TALKS’

When asked about BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s dissatisfaction with the chief advisor’s remarks on the election, Nazrul said he had every right to express his views.

“People interpret discussions in different ways,” he said.

“I felt they looked happy when our dialogue ended,” the advisor added. “It seemed to me that many of the questions they had in mind were answered. That’s how I perceived it. Fakhrul Bhai may have seen it differently.”

When asked if the chief advisor’s statement — referring to a December to June election window — had created any distance between the interim government and BNP, especially since the party had stressed a December election, Nazrul denied any such gap.

He said Mirza Fakhrul had expressed his views, but from their end, it seemed the BNP delegation had understood many of their explanations and appeared satisfied.

‘NO REASON FOR CONCERN’

Regarding the BNP's expressed dissatisfaction, Fakhrul said: "We have clearly said if the election is not held by December, the political, economic, and social situation in the country will worsen, and it will become more difficult to manage."

In response, Nazrul said: "The concerns it [BNP] raised about not holding elections in December, we have shared our view that there is no reason for such concerns. We are fully aware of these matters.

“We have respectfully considered their opinions, and we will continue to stay vigilant on the issue."

‘NO DELAY IN HASINA’S TRIAL’

Referring to the BNP’s claim in the meeting that the trial of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s case was being delayed, Nazrul responded that there had been no such delay.

He said they had presented a comparison with previous trials to demonstrate that proceedings were on track.

After the explanation, the BNP representatives did not raise further objections, which he took as a sign of their understanding.

Regarding the proposal to form another tribunal, the advisor said the caretaker administration had informed the BNP that a new tribunal would be formed soon.

In response to a question, Nazrul said the process to expand the number of tribunals had already started at least a month ago.

He noted that suitable judges needed to be appointed and logistical arrangements had to be made accordingly.

‘DISCUSSION WITH BNP WAS OPEN, SINCERE’

Nazrul said the two-hour meeting had taken place in an open and sincere environment, where the BNP representatives spoke freely.

He added, "They mentioned that the BNP has been consistently persecuted in the country for the past 15 years, and we certainly showed respect for this.

"They said some decisions of the interim government have been against the BNP, but we gave examples of decisions that have been in its favour.”

The party, however, also expressed dissatisfaction with delays in withdrawing politically motivated cases.

Nazrul explained that the public prosecutor's office, along with the entire government lawyers' office, had been restructured only three months ago.

“In this time, about 8,000 cases have been withdrawn, and nearly 16,000 cases are still pending,” he said. “We asked whether such rapid progress is feasible. They assured us that they understood."

‘BNP POSITIVE ON REFORM PROPOSALS’

Ahead of Thursday’s dialogue on reform between the BNP and the National Consensus Commission, the party’s delegation held a separate meeting with Yunus.

According to Nazrul, the BNP responded “positively” to the commission’s reform proposals.

“They said the idea of reform within the party is not new,” Nazrul said. “They have always considered themselves a reform-oriented party.

“We agreed with this — indeed, the BNP has long supported the idea of reform.”

The advisor hoped that the July Charter would be completed swiftly, with the BNP assuring them of their commitment.

"We believe that the BNP is genuinely sincere about the reforms," he concluded.