Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
Bangladesh’s interim government has struggled to fully restore public safety, making it difficult to hold a general election this year, Nahid Islam, head of the newly launched National Citizen Party (NCP), told Reuters.
Former PM Sheikh Hasina was ousted last August following student-led mass protests. While interim leader Muhammad Yunus suggested elections could be held by late 2025, unrest continues.
“In the past seven months, we expected law and order to be restored through short-term reforms. It has happened to an extent, but not up to our expectations,” said Nahid, a former student leader of the movement that led to Hasina’s removal. “In the current situation, I don’t think it’s possible to hold a national election.”
Nahid, 26, a former adviser in the interim government, is the first major political figure to question Yunus’ election timeline. Analysts believe his youth-led NCP could reshape Bangladesh’s political landscape, long dominated by Hasina’s Awami League (AL) and Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Both parties are demanding early elections, insisting power should return to a democratically elected government.
Unrest persists, with attacks on symbols of Hasina’s government, clashes between student groups, and reports of violence against minorities. The interim government, however, claims such reports are exaggerated. Nahid stated that before elections can take place, a consensus must be reached on the ‘Proclamation of the July Revolution’, a charter that aims to reflect the aspirations of Bangladeshis and honor the 1,000 people who died in last year’s protests.
“If we can reach that consensus within a month, we can call for elections immediately. But if it takes longer, the election should be deferred,” he said. The newly formed NCP is gaining financial support from affluent Bangladeshis and plans to launch crowdfunding to set up an office and prepare for elections.