Chairman of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar faction) Mostafa Jamal Haider on Saturday said Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is expected to announce a specific date for the upcoming national election within the next four to five days.
“I'm pleased to share that the Chief Adviser has categorically said he will announce an exact date for the election within four to five days,” Haider told reporters.
He made the remarks after a meeting between Prof Yunus and leaders of 12 political parties at the state guesthouse Jamuna.
Haider described the anticipated announcement as ‘a message of great joy for the nation’.
He said holding a national election is the only practical way to resolve the current political turmoil in the country. “Many problems will be addressed through the election. It will help bring an end to the ongoing unrest.
Haider also said the Chief Adviser made it clear during the meeting that elections are the only way forward to restore order. “He assured us that a specific election date will be announced within the next four to five days.”
He said they told the Chief Adviser that the political parties would not allow any opportunity for the return of the fascist force that was overthrown last year through a mass uprising.
Haider, who also leads the 12-party alliance, a key ally of the BNP, said their main objective is now to restore the people's democratic rights and form a democratic government through a national election which will pave the way for eliminating fascist forces through united efforts.
Earlier, Professor Muhammad Yunus had a meeting with leaders from 12 more political parties and discussed the country’s overall situation.
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The meeting began around 5pm at the state guest house Jamuna, said Chief Adviser’s Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad.
Those attending the meeting include Aminul Haque Tipu Biswas from Jatiya Gono Front, Mostafa Jamal Haider from Jatiya Party (Zafar) and the 12-Party Alliance, Maulana Abdul Majed Athari from Nezam-e-Islam Party, Maulana Yusuf Ashraf from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Fariduzzaman Farhad from NPP, Dr Mushtaq Hossain from Bangladesh JASAD, Bobby Hajjaj from Nationalist Democratic Movement, Mufti Sakhawat Hossain Raji from Islami Oikya Jote, Rafiqul Islam Babul from Bhasani Janashakti Party, Dr Mostafizur Rahman Iran from Bangladesh Labour Party, Masud Rana from BASAD-Marxist and Manjurul Islam Afendi from Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam.
As part of his efforts to engage with a broad range of political stakeholders, the Chief Adviser began this new round of talks with a meeting on Tuesday with leaders of four major political parties-- BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and National Citizen Party (NCP).
A day later, Dr Yunus also held discussions with leaders from 13 other political parties, including Gonosamhati Andolon, AB Party, Nagorik Oikya, Gono Odhikar Parishad, LDP, Khelafat Majlis, Biplobi Workers Party, JSD and CPB.