Bangladesh may hold general elections by 2025-end amidst emphasis on the need for sweeping reforms

By Nava Thakuria*

Indications from Bangladesh suggest that the country may hold national elections by the end of this year—provided major political parties agree to minimal reforms in administrative, financial, and electoral institutions. The reforms would come with assurances that the winning representatives in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Assembly/Parliament) will continue the reform process in the South Asian nation.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, who assumed leadership of an interim government in Dhaka after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a student-led mass movement in July-August 2024, has repeatedly emphasized the need for sweeping reforms. These include overhauling the civil and police administration, anti-corruption bodies, financial institutions, and the judicial and electoral systems to steer the Muslim-majority nation toward stability. The caretaker government head has already instructed authorities to prepare for general elections by December 2025. The 12th Parliamentary elections, held on 7 January 2024, were unilaterally won by Hasina’s Awami League.

So far, over 20 political parties—including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP)—have submitted their opinions to the National Consensus Commission. Headed by Prof. Yunus, the commission plans to engage with other parties in the coming days. It has sent recommendations drawn from five reform commissions (constitutional, public administration, electoral, judiciary, and administrative reforms) to nearly 35 political parties for feedback. Notably, Hasina’s Awami League remains absent from the discussions, and it remains uncertain whether the party will be permitted to participate in the polls.

However, Prof. Yunus recently stated publicly that the interim government has no plans to ban the Awami League, which ruled Bangladesh for three consecutive terms (2009–2024). He clarified that individuals within the party—including Hasina—accused of mass crimes would still face trial. Many leaders of the July-August 2024 revolution have criticized Yunus for his perceived leniency toward the Awami League. Some allege that Bangladesh’s Army Chief, Waker Uz Zaman, is advocating for the party’s participation in the elections, calling it a conspiracy to rehabilitate a "refined" Awami League and potentially facilitate Hasina’s return from exile in India. The military has denied these claims, asserting neutrality in political matters.

NCP convener Nahid Islam has demanded a ban on the Awami League, calling it a "fascist party" and a "terrorist outfit" unfit for politics. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman also warned that any attempt to reintegrate Hasina and her party would face fierce public resistance.

Meanwhile, Prof. Yunus, Bangladesh’s sole Nobel laureate, seeks a one-on-one meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the upcoming BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok (2–4 April). His administration has formally requested a bilateral discussion, but India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated the proposal is "under consideration." Political observers, however, deem the meeting unlikely, citing strained India-Bangladesh relations—partly due to Hasina’s continued exile in India—as a potential deterrent.

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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

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