Yunus-Tarique talks deliver London breakthrough, sets stage for February election

In a rare display of political détente, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman came face-to-face in London for a long-anticipated meeting that may have just shifted the trajectory of Bangladesh’s electoral future.

Held behind closed doors but described as disarmingly open in tone, the talks saw both sides step back from their rigid positions and reach common ground regarding the election timeline.

The fiery rhetoric from BNP leaders demanding an electoral roadmap now seems to be a thing of the past. In the hour-and-a-half-long meeting, the two leaders managed to pull the nation’s political climate back from the brink.

They agreed that if all preparations can be completed, an election may be held in mid-February 2026 -- specifically, in the week preceding the start of Ramadan.

Analysts believe the persistent deadlock between the BNP and the interim government over the election timeline, which had been escalating in recent months, appears to have been resolved through this meeting, thereby removing a major source of uncertainty.

Several political parties that had been vocally demanding early elections have also welcomed the decision.

Their hope is that the rising political tension around the election timeline will now begin to subside.

Following what had appeared to be an intractable impasse, both the interim government and the BNP expressed satisfaction after the London meeting.

BNP’s Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, who had been demanding the resignation of the national security advisor, voiced this satisfaction while standing alongside the very same adviser, Khalilur Rahman.

Khalil himself said the joint statement came only because there was consensus among all parties.

However, the National Citizen Party (NCP), which had led the uprising that toppled the Awami League government, expressed its discontent over the meeting. The party alleged that “the government is giving undue priority to the demands of a single party.”

On the other hand, one political analyst observed that the meeting signals a shift towards a practice long absent in Bangladesh’s political culture. According to him, resolving crises through dialogue could now become part of the country’s political norm.

Still, in light of the ongoing reform process, another analyst warned of the challenges associated with holding an election within the proposed timeframe.

In his view, organising a credible vote just five months after the July Charter, without first ensuring critical electoral reforms, may prove difficult.

Since independence, of the country’s 12 general elections, three were held in February. These were the second parliamentary election on Feb 28, 1979, the fifth on Feb 28, 1991, and the sixth on Feb 15, 1996.

The BNP won all three. The party also won the October 2001 general election and subsequently formed the government.

THE WIDENING GAP

Until recently, the interim government, installed following the student-led popular uprising that toppled the Awami League administration, had been suggesting that the 13th parliamentary election would be held sometime in the first half of 2026, that is, by June.

The BNP, however, unconvinced by the reassurances from Chief Advisor Yunus and his team, continued to press for a clear electoral roadmap. The party also demanded that the vote be held within December this year.

Amid this dispute over the election timeline, the BNP had been publicly opposing the interim government on several issues and demonstrating its strength on the ground through a range of activities.

Then, on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, the chief advisor addressed the nation and proposed bringing the election timeline slightly forward, suggesting the first half of April next year as a possible window.

While parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP welcomed this statement, the BNP held firm to its previous position of having the ballot within December this year.

BNP leaders argued that campaigning during Ramadan, which will span February to March next year, followed by the SSC and equivalent public examinations in April, would render an April election impractical.

Given the passivity of the ousted Awami League on the ground, analysts had begun expressing concerns that the persistent standoff with the BNP, one of the country’s largest political forces, could jeopardise both the reform process and the judicial proceedings related to the July ‘massacre’.

Amid this impasse, Friday’s meeting in London between the two leaders was seen as a crucial development.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had hinted that the meeting could be a “turning point”.

Following the decision to bring the election forward to mid-February, Fakhrul described the meeting as precisely that, a turning point, during a subsequent press briefing.

'NEW MESSAGE' TO POLITICS

Political analyst Kazi Mahboobor Rahman believes the London meeting has helped resolve the rift between the government and the BNP.

Prof Mahboobor, who teaches Political Science at the Dhaka University, observed that Bangladesh’s political culture has long lacked a tradition of resolving crises through dialogue, but this meeting marks a shift in that pattern.

“This meeting shows both the government and the BNP are now committed to a new political approach. They began the discussion with smiles and ended it the same way, with great cordiality. That alone proves how successful the talks were. And the dialogue has sent a new message to the nation.”

He added, “The first signal of this message is that the government has come closer to the date originally proposed by the BNP.

“Both parties have moved away from their entrenched positions. That is the most significant development.

“After all, this government is not meant to stay long. Its primary task is to organise elections and facilitate a democratic transition.”

Commenting on the shared promises of reform and justice by both the government and the BNP, he noted: “Reform is a continuous process. The government and political parties must communicate clearly which reforms they have agreed upon.

“These will be implemented by the next elected democratic government. The key issue is dismantling authoritarian systems and ensuring such governance does not return. For that, certain decisions need to be made, by both the government and the political parties.”

On the matter of justice, Mahboobor said: “If some form of justice can be initiated, even in broad strokes, that is still a positive step. While full legal proceedings may not be feasible right away, some actions can begin, especially as special tribunals are now involved.”

Election analyst Abdul Alim believes that holding a balloting just five months after the “July Charter”, while also enacting the necessary electoral reforms, will be a significant challenge.

Alim, a member of the Electoral Reform Commission, pointed out that a series of reform proposals have already been tabled. The National Consensus Commission is expected to issue the “July Charter” soon.

“With the election now tentatively brought two months forward from April to February, completing all necessary changes in time will undoubtedly be a difficult task for the Election Commission.”

However, he added, it is not impossible. “If the EC and government can issue ordinances swiftly, it may still be achievable.”

He emphasised that both the government and the EC must play a “proactive role”.

Alim also warned that if the NCP does not withdraw its demand for a reconstitution of the Election Commission, new complications could arise.

“With February being proposed for the vote, the roadmap must now include finalising the updated voter roll, party registrations, constituency boundaries, observer and media policies, the list of polling centres, and a mechanism for overseas voters,” he said.

According to the election analyst, several key issues must be addressed to ensure the election is credible, free, fair, and acceptable. Historically, all elections held under caretaker governments have been deemed credible in Bangladesh.

He expressed hope that the election will follow suit and be conducted in the same free and fair manner.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING

In the current political context of Bangladesh, this high-stakes meeting began at 2pm Bangladesh time on Friday at The Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane, Lonon, where Yunus has been staying.

Ever since Yunus’s UK trip was announced, speculation had been rife in the political sphere about a potential meeting between him and Tarique.

According to a senior official from the Chief Adviser’s Office, during the closed-door talks, Tarique told Yunus that he had found “a new political guardian”.

He reportedly said that if he ever came to power through popular vote, he would follow the guidance of both his mother, Khaleda Zia, and Yunus.

The official added: “The acting chairman of the BNP also expressed his desire to utilise Dr Yunus’s global standing for the welfare of the country. Tarique said ‘Sir, we hope you will always stand by us. Please, never leave our side’.”

At that point, the chief advisor responded by warmly praising Tarique’s political foresight. He remarked that Tarique’s thoughts and concerns about the country had left a deep impression on all present.

After touching on a number of topics, Tarique tabled a proposal concerning the election. Yunus reviewed it and offered his opinion, which later formed the basis of a joint statement, the official told bdnews24.com.

The possible timeline of the election was also discussed during the meeting. However, as determining the election date falls solely under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, both parties agreed to leave that matter to it.

The 90-minute meeting included both delegation-level discussions and a one-on-one conversation.

After the meeting, Tarique left the hotel at 3:40pm. Before getting into his car, he waved at party supporters gathered along the roadside.

A joint press briefing followed, conducted by Advisor Khalilur and BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru.

Khalilur began by reading out the joint statement issued by Yunus and Tarique. The two then took questions from journalists.

‘ELECTION BEFORE RAMADAN’

According to the joint statement, Tarique proposed to the chief advisor that elections be held before the start of Ramadan next year. Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia also believes that timeframe would be ideal.

“The chief advisor reaffirmed his earlier announcement that elections could be held by the first half of April next year. He added that, if all preparations are completed, elections could even be held in the week before the start of Ramadan 2026. However, that would require significant progress on reforms and judicial processes by then.”

Khalilur noted at the briefing that Tarique welcomed Yunus’s position. In turn, the chief advisor also thanked Tarique for what he termed was a “fruitful dialogue”.

Based on lunar calculations, Ramadan is likely to begin on Feb 18 next year. In that case, if reforms and justice-related processes are sufficiently advanced, the country could be ready to go to the polls about a week prior to that date.

‘EC WILL ANNOUNCE THE VOTE DATE’

At the briefing, Advisor Khalilur confirmed that the Election Commission would soon announce the specific date of the next national election.

He said, “Today’s joint statement clearly mentions that both parties have agreed, the Election Commission is expected to announce a date soon.”

When asked whether they were satisfied with the prospect of the election being moved forward to February, both Khalilur and Amir Khosru described the outcome of the meeting as “undoubtedly satisfactory”.

Khosru commented, “We’ve always said it’s not just about working together before the election; we must also work together in building the country after the election.”

Khalilur added, “If we weren’t satisfied, there wouldn’t have been a joint declaration in the first place.”

Both also highlighted that the meeting had resulted in productive discussions on several important matters, advancing reform, the ongoing judicial proceedings related to killings during the uprising, and the BNP’s potential endorsement of the National (July) Charter.

WHAT THE PARTIES ARE SAYING

The meeting between Yunus and Tarique has drawn mixed reactions from various political parties. While many welcomed the initiation of dialogue and consensus, they also called for tangible progress on reforms and justice.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul said the meeting had helped clear the clouds of uncertainty surrounding the election.

In his official statement, he said: “This meeting, which reached a consensus on holding the national election before next Ramadan, has brought relief and renewed hope for the people of the country.”

Fakhrul continued, “We sincerely thank Professor Muhammad Yunus for aligning the nation’s expectations with reality and moving away from an undesirable timeline like April to propose a more reasonable schedule for the election. He has responded to the will of the people with a timely and thoughtful decision, and that is undeniably commendable.”

The NCP, formed by leaders of the July Uprising, is far from happy, arguing that it is inappropriate to fix an election date based on discussions with a single political party.

The new party’s Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary alleged that holding such a meeting abroad on a matter as critical as the election pulls the country backwards and undermines public expectations.

He went so far as to describe the move as a “betrayal of the spirit of the popular uprising”, and warned that it could ignite “a new wave of uprising” -- if necessary.

Senior Joint Convenor Ariful Islam Adib told bdnews24.com, “We have long said we have no objection to an election taking place at any time, provided there is structural reform of the state and visible justice for the Awami League’s abuses.

“But announcing an election date after meeting only one party is unacceptable. Such a date should be determined through consultation with all political stakeholders, including families of those killed or injured in the uprising.”

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince is not so optimistic.

“Without a clear election date from the Election Commission and a constructive role from the government,” he said, “I don’t believe the political deadlock will end. We’re waiting to see what role the EC plays before our central committee and the Left Democratic Alliance take a final position.”

He also argued that with visible progress in prosecuting those responsible for the July killings and enacting essential reforms, an election could feasibly be held within the proposed timeline, within December.

Prince also raised questions about the costs of the chief advisor’s London trip and the presence of Advisor Khalilur at the meeting with Tarique.

Mushtuq Husain, former DUCSU general secretary and Standing Committee member of Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal observed: “A great deal of uncertainty, mistrust, and suspicion seems to have significantly lifted. We’re hopeful. If BNP and the interim government begin to work together, I believe we’ll move towards a more stable political ground.”

In a joint statement, JSD President ASM Abdur Rab and General Secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan said, “The emphasis placed in the meeting between Professor Yunus and Tarique Rahman and their statement on holding elections before next Ramadan—along with the stated commitment to meaningful reforms and visible progress in holding the fascist [Awami League] government accountable—could bring much-needed stability to politics.”

The 12-Party Alliance described the meeting as “a message of relief for the nation”.

However, alliance leaders cautioned that the meeting must not remain “mere words”, and stressed the need for real, observable progress in the areas of reform and justice.

EC TO REVIEW SITUATION AFTER HOLIDAYS

The government has not yet sought any formal opinion from the electoral commission as to whether the polls will be held in February or April.

However, based on last year’s announcement by the chief advisor, the commission led by AMM Nasir Uddin had been preparing for an election sometime between December and June.

Following the London meeting, Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said on Friday night, “Just as you’ve heard through the media, I’ve also learned the same way. Let’s see what unfolds. The office reopens on Sunday. Once we begin discussions, we’ll have a clearer idea next week about how far to take this into account.”

He indicated that the EC might begin drawing up an operational plan based on the February timeline after internal discussions.

The commissioner added that they would meet after Eid holidays to review all election-related preparations.

When asked about the challenges ahead, he responded: “We’re not deeply involved in the reform aspect, that’s a matter for the government and the Consensus Commission. It’s a political consensus issue among the parties. If there are any changes to the law, only then can we assess the situation. It would be premature to comment on that now.”