Latest news with #BNP
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Is Bangladesh ready for a 'credible' election?
Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, recently met the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is expected to be the frontrunner in elections next year. Tarique Rahman, who has lived in exile in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, is the acting chairman of the BNP, a major party which his mother, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, led for decades. The meeting in the UK capital London was held amid rising tensions in Bangladesh, which has been locked in a tense political limbo since an uprising culminated in former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation in August 2024. Reforms needed before elections The BNP wanted an election by December 2025, while the interim government had been aiming for April 2026, saying it needs time to implement a host of reforms. Yunus and Rahman have now agreed that polls could be held in February — if sufficient progress on reforms is made. These include constitutional reforms, changes to the electoral process and boosting judicial independence and press freedoms. Authorities also need to deliver justice for the victims of last year's mass protests, in which hundreds were killed, mostly by the security forces loyal to Hasina and her Awami League. Tasnim Jara, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), newly formed by the student leaders of last year's protests, thinks that while the government has taken initial steps for an election, "institutional readiness remains uneven." "Key election infrastructure, such as an impartial election commission, a neutral civil administration, and an independent judiciary, requires urgent reform. A credible election will depend on whether the political parties can agree on a reform package soon and whether that package is visibly implemented in time," she told DW. While the agreement between the BNP and Yunus is a welcome development for many observers, they say that the restoration of law and order to allow for a credible election that includes all major parties remains a priority. Saimum Parvez, a special assistant to the BNP Chairman, thinks that "the dismal law and order situation, unchecked unruly mobs, and encouragement of depoliticisation" are the obstacles. "However, as common people of Bangladesh are usually enthusiastic about participating and engaging in electoral campaigns, it is possible to overcome these obstacles with community support," he told DW. The Dhaka-based political historiographer Mohiuddin Ahmed, however, was less optimistic. "Bangladeshi political parties don't behave peacefully during elections. They tend to use force whenever possible to control polling centers. Maintaining an orderly situation during the polls will be challenging if the administrations and police forces don't work properly," he told DW. Former government and security officials face criminal charges A UN fact-finding mission this year found that officials from Bangladesh's former government and security apparatus had systematically committed serious human rights violations against protesters last summer and that crimes against humanity may have been carried out. Hundreds of cases have been filed against Hasina and her allies since she fled to India on August 5, 2024. Her Awami League party claims that the cases are politically motivated. Observers say that the country's security forces have lost credibility since last year's crackdown, which has contributed to the deteriorating security situation. Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist and a professor at London's SOAS University, said that Bangladesh was tough to govern and that order had always been "difficult to achieve." "It is one reason why people put up with Sheikh Hasina so long — at least she wielded the power to maintain some semblance of order, violent and repressive though it was for anyone who wanted to dissent," Hossain told DW. She added that given the political vacuum since Hasina's ouster, it was "no surprise" that law and order was currently "a problem." "I think that the army is probably feeling the need to act with caution given the human rights violations they allegedly participated in last year. That means not being too heavy-handed with the mobs and Islamist gangs we see news reports about," she said. Military brought in to tackle lawlessness Bangladesh's interim government has empowered army officers with the rank of captain or higher to help police maintain law and order in the country. However, Tasnim Jara, a former doctor who is now a politician, told DW that the army's deployment had not resolved the crisis and only "exposed deeper issues." "State-sanctioned violence and repression over the past 16 years deeply undermined public trust and destabilized the foundations of governance," Jara said, calling for that legacy to be addressed. "Lasting stability will only come through institutional reform of the police and security agencies. We have yet to see these reforms," she added. Will the Awami League be able to take part in the election? The Awami League was banned last month pending trials by a special tribunal into the party and its leaders for alleged crimes against humanity and human rights violations. But observers, including Hossain, think Bangladesh's oldest party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming polls because it still enjoys broad support, despite the fact that many of its leaders are "credibly accused of numerous crimes." "The party is a huge national body and still seems to command a lot of support across the country, perhaps particularly in rural areas and among minority groups and women. Banning them serves no good purpose," Hossain told DW. She warned that such a move would likely lead to "a super-majority landslide" for the BNP, "who will then be empowered to behave exactly as the Awami League did when it won its super-majority back in 2008." Jara, on the other hand, thinks that before the Awami League can be allowed to participate in elections, its leaders must first be held accountable for their alleged human rights violations which include "enforced disappearances, torture, election rigging, and widespread killings." "A credible legal process must address these before any accused entity can participate. If justice is bypassed, it will destroy public trust and risk returning the country to the very repression people rose up against. No party can be above the law," she told DW.
Muscat Daily
3 days ago
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
Is Bangladesh ready for a ‘credible' election?
Dhaka, Bangladesh – Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, recently met the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is expected to be the frontrunner in elections next year. Tarique Rahman, who has lived in exile in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, is the acting chairman of the BNP, a major party which his mother, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, led for decades. The meeting in the UK capital London was held amid rising tensions in Bangladesh, which has been locked in a tense political limbo since an uprising culminated in former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation in August 2024. Reforms needed before elections The BNP wanted an election by December 2025, while the interim government had been aiming for April 2026, saying it needs time to implement a host of reforms. Yunus and Rahman have now agreed that polls could be held in February – if sufficient progress on reforms is made. These include constitutional reforms, changes to the electoral process and boosting judicial independence and press freedoms. Authorities also need to deliver justice for the victims of last year's mass protests, in which hundreds were killed, mostly by the security forces loyal to Hasina and her Awami League. Tasnim Jara, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), newly formed by the student leaders of last year's protests, thinks that while the government has taken initial steps for an election, 'institutional readiness remains uneven'. 'Key election infrastructure, such as an impartial election commission, a neutral civil administration, and an independent judiciary, requires urgent reform. A credible election will depend on whether the political parties can agree on a reform package soon and whether that package is visibly implemented in time,' she told DW. While the agreement between the BNP and Yunus is a welcome development for many observers, they say that the restoration of law and order to allow for a credible election that includes all major parties remains a priority. Saimum Parvez, a special assistant to the BNP Chairman, thinks that 'the dismal law and order situation, unchecked unruly mobs, and encouragement of depoliticisation' are the obstacles. 'However, as common people of Bangladesh are usually enthusiastic about participating and engaging in electoral campaigns, it is possible to overcome these obstacles with community support,' he told DW. The Dhaka-based political historiographer Mohiuddin Ahmed, however, was less optimistic. 'Bangladeshi political parties don't behave peacefully during elections. They tend to use force whenever possible to control polling centres. Maintaining an orderly situation during the polls will be challenging if the administrations and police forces don't work properly,' he told DW. Former government and security officials face criminal charges A UN fact-finding mission this year found that officials from Bangladesh's former government and security apparatus had systematically committed serious human rights violations against protesters last summer and that crimes against humanity may have been carried out. Hundreds of cases have been filed against Hasina and her allies since she fled to India on August 5, 2024. Her Awami League party claims that the cases are politically motivated. Observers say that the country's security forces have lost credibility since last year's crackdown, which has contributed to the deteriorating security situation. Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist and a professor at London's SOAS University, said that Bangladesh was tough to govern and that order had always been 'difficult to achieve'. 'It is one reason why people put up with Sheikh Hasina so long – at least she wielded the power to maintain some semblance of order, violent and repressive though it was for anyone who wanted to dissent,' Hossain told DW. She added that given the political vacuum since Hasina's ouster, it was 'no surprise' that law and order was currently 'a problem'. 'I think that the army is probably feeling the need to act with caution given the human rights violations they allegedly participated in last year. That means not being too heavy-handed with the mobs and Islamist gangs we see news reports about,' she said. Maintaining law and order Bangladesh's interim government has empowered army officers with the rank of captain or higher to help police maintain law and order in the country. However, Tasnim Jara, a former doctor who is now a politician, told DW that the army's deployment had not resolved the crisis and only 'exposed deeper issues'. 'State-sanctioned violence and repression over the past 16 years deeply undermined public trust and destabilised the foundations of governance,' Jara said, calling for that legacy to be addressed. 'Lasting stability will only come through institutional reform of the police and security agencies. We have yet to see these reforms,' she added. Ban on Awami League The Awami League was banned last month pending trials by a special tribunal into the party and its leaders for alleged crimes against humanity and human rights violations. But observers, including Hossain, think Bangladesh's oldest party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming polls because it still enjoys broad support, despite the fact that many of its leaders are 'credibly accused of numerous crimes'. 'The party is a huge national body and still seems to command a lot of support across the country, perhaps particularly in rural areas and among minority groups and women. Banning them serves no good purpose,' Hossain told DW. She warned that such a move would likely lead to 'a super-majority landslide' for the BNP, 'who will then be empowered to behave exactly as the Awami League did when it won its super-majority back in 2008'. Jara, on the other hand, thinks that before the Awami League can be allowed to participate in elections, its leaders must first be held accountable for their alleged human rights violations which include 'enforced disappearances, torture, election rigging, and widespread killings'. 'A credible legal process must address these before any accused entity can participate. If justice is bypassed, it will destroy public trust and risk returning the country to the very repression people rose up against. No party can be above the law,' she told DW. DW
DW
4 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Is Bangladesh ready for a credible election? – DW – 06/16/2025
After former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's fall following mass protests last year, Bangladesh is preparing to hold elections. While the interim government promises a credible poll, law and order remain a concern. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus met in London on Friday with the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that is expected to be the frontrunner in elections next year. Tarique Rahman, who has been living in exile in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, is the acting chairman of the BNP, a major party founded by his mother, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Their meeting in London was held amid rising tensions in Bangladesh, which has been locked in a tense political limbo since an uprising last year culminated in former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation in August. Reforms needed before elections The BNP has been calling for an election by December, while the interim government was eyeing polls for April 2026, saying it needs time to implement a host of reforms. After their meeting, Yunus and Rahman agreed that polls could be held in February — if sufficient progress on reforms is made. These include constitutional reforms, changes to the electoral process and boosting judicial independence and press freedoms. The student-led protests last summer gripped Bangladesh for weeks [FILE: July 31, 2024] Image: Rajib Dhar/AP/picture alliance Authorities also need to deliver justice for the victims of last year's mass protests, in which hundreds of protesters were killed, mostly by the security forces loyal to Hasina and her Awami League. Tasnim Jara, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), newly formed by the student leaders of last year's protests, thinks that while the government has taken initial steps for an election, "institutional readiness remains uneven." "Key election infrastructure, such as an impartial election commission, a neutral civil administration, and an independent judiciary, requires urgent reform. A credible election will depend on whether the political parties can agree on a reform package soon and whether that package is visibly implemented in time," she told DW. While the London agreement is a welcome development for the country, the restoration of law and order to allow for a credible election that includes all major parties remains a priority. Saimum Parvez, a special assistant to the BNP Chairman, thinks that "the dismal law and order situation, unchecked unruly mobs, and encouragement of depoliticization" are the obstacles. "However, as common people of Bangladesh are usually enthusiastic about participating and engaging in electoral campaigns, it is possible to overcome these obstacles with community support," he told DW. Dhaka-based political historiographer Mohiuddin Ahmed, however, is less optimistic. "Bangladeshi political parties don't behave peacefully during elections. They tend to use force whenever possible to control polling centers. Maintaining an orderly situation during the polls will be challenging if the administrations and police forces don't work properly," he told DW. Bangladesh's ousted prime minister triggers fresh outrage To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Former government and security officials face criminal charges A UN fact-finding mission this year found that officials from Bangladesh's former government and security apparatus systematically committed serious human rights violations against protesters last summer and that crimes against humanity may have been carried out. Hundreds of cases have been filed against Hasina and her allies since she fled to India on August 5, 2024. Her Awami League party claims that the cases were politically motivated. To many observers, the country's security forces have lost credibility over last year's crackdown, which has contributed to the deteriorating security situation. Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist and a professor at London's SOAS University, acknowledges that Bangladesh is tough to govern and that order has always been "difficult to achieve." "It is one reason why people put up with Sheikh Hasina so long — at least she wielded the power to maintain some semblance of order, violent and repressive though it was for anyone who wanted to dissent," Hossain told DW. She added that given the political vacuum since Hasina's ouster, it is "no surprise" that law and order has been "a problem." "I think that the army is probably feeling the need to act with caution given the human rights violations they allegedly participated in last year. That means not being too heavy-handed with the mobs and Islamist gangs we see news reports about," she said. The political vacuum has led to deteriorating security in Bangladesh Image: DW Military brought in to tackle lawlessness Since last summer, Bangladesh's interim government has empowered army officers with the rank of captain or higher to help police maintain law and order in the country. However, Tasnim Jara, a former doctor who is now a politician, told DW that the army's deployment did not resolve the crisis and has only "exposed deeper issues." "State-sanctioned violence and repression over the past 16 years deeply undermined public trust and destabilized the foundations of governance," Jara said, calling for that legacy to be addressed. "Lasting stability will only come through institutional reform of the police and security agencies. We have yet to see these reforms," she added. Will the Awami League be able to take part in the election? The Awami League was banned last month pending trials by a special tribunal into the party and its leaders for alleged crimes against humanity and human rights violations. But observers like Naomi Hossain think Bangladesh's oldest party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming polls because it still enjoys broad support, despite the fact that many of its leaders are "credibly accused of numerous crimes." Bangladeshi women's rights proposals face Islamist backlash To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "The party is a huge national body and still seems to command a lot of support across the country, perhaps particularly in rural areas and among minority groups and women. Banning them serves no good purpose," Hossain told DW. She warned that such a move would likely lead to "a super-majority landslide" for the BNP, "who will then be empowered to behave exactly as the Awami League did when it won its super-majority back in 2008." Tasnim Jara, on the other hand, thinks that before the Awami League can be allowed to participate in elections, its leaders must first be held accountable for their alleged human rights violations which include "enforced disappearances, torture, election rigging, and widespread killings." "A credible legal process must address these before any accused entity can participate. If justice is bypassed, it will destroy public trust and risk returning the country to the very repression people rose up against. No party can be above the law," she told DW. Edited by: Karl Sexton
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
As Debate Over Bangladesh Election Intensifies, A Tussle Over Dates
Dhaka: Bangladesh's Election Commission (EC) has declared that it's ready to hold the fresh parliamentary election in the country, but confusion persists on the timing. Nationwide polls are due in the South Asian nation after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted last year following a nationwide protest. The elections are expected to take place before the first half of April 2026, but so far, no formal discussion has taken place between the government and the EC regarding the timing of the polls, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said on Sunday, according to a report by Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo. BNP's Request Meanwhile, Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus met with the leader of the nation's key Opposition party--the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- in London last Friday. During the meeting, BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman reportedly proposed to hold the national election before Ramadan 2026 as opposed to the Yunus Government's proposal for April next year. BNP is expected to be the frontrunner in the elections, and the party has earlier demanded that the polls should be held by December 2025. BNP Acting Chairman @trahmanbnp and @ChiefAdviserGoB Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus held a meeting today in London. During the meeting, Tarique Rahman proposed holding the national election before Ramadan 2026. The Chief Advisor reiterated his plan to hold the election in the… — Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP (@bdbnp78) June 13, 2025 "The Chief Advisor reiterated his plan to hold the election in the first half of April 2026 and added that, subject to necessary reforms and progress in justice, it could be held even a week before Ramadan. BNP welcomes this position," the BNP said in a post on social media platform X. In 2026, Ramadan is expected to start from the evening of Tuesday, February 17, till Wednesday, March 18. However, these are the tentative dates, and their confirmation depends on sighting of the new moon, specifically the crescent moon, at the start of the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every year, the dates for Ramadan move 10-11 days earlier because it is a lunar calendar. Election Commission's Plan When asked about BNP's demands, the Chief Election Commissioner told Bangladeshi media that he only heard about the demands of holding elections in February/March via the media and did not have any further information. He hinted that if the government wants, the Election Commission would announce elections earlier than April. He said that for now, the Election Commission is focusing solely on preparations to ensure that whenever the election takes place and is ready to deliver. Government's Criticism Critics of Muhammad Yunus have accused him of delaying elections to stay in power longer than envisaged when the interim government was sworn in. But the Yunus-led government has maintained that elections without reform will not make sense, and the government needs time to implement reforms before holding elections. According to electoral law in Bangladesh, election dates are announced officially through a gazette notification issued by the government, and the law does not allow such announcements six to eight months in advance. However, political observers say the announcement by the elected government is a formal practice, but informally, dates are known way before elections are announced. Voters' lists in Bangladesh are being revised and are expected to be ready by February/March next year. Meanwhile, Hasina's party-- the Bangladesh Awami League--which was ousted in August last year, said, "Yunus sounds clearly like he is lying about having 'the most beautiful election ever.' (Not possible when he illegally banned the largest party and unlawfully put over 100 MPs in jail)." "A discussion with Tarique Rahman revealed that there was a scheme to stage an orchestrated and rigged election, excluding 50 per cent of voters from the electoral process," Hasina's party added.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
BNP's Tareque Rahman eyes Dhaka return
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel There is more to the recent meeting between Bangladesh interim regime chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and BNP leader Tareque Rahman in London than meets the eye. Rahman is looking for a return to Dhaka to realise his prime ministerial seeks to return to Dhaka from his exile in London and is understood to have conveyed to Yunus his demand for removal of all terror cases against him, according to persons familiar with the meeting. Rahman cannot contest polls unless all cases are removed against had allegedly backed anti-India terror groups and insurgents when his mother Begum Zia was Bangladesh PM from 2001-06. Often dubbed as the force behind the throne, the BNP leader has been associated with several activities that had cast a shadow over India-Bangladesh relations. ULFA leader Paresh Baruah, who was based in Bangladesh till 2008, was often patronised by Rahman in the past.
