Dhaka, June 26 (V7N) — Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin held a courtesy meeting with Chief Advisor to the Interim Government, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, on Thursday afternoon at the state guest house, Jamuna.
 
The meeting was confirmed by the Chief Advisor’s Press Wing. According to a senior official at the Chief Advisor’s Office, the two held a “one-to-one” private discussion. While no official statement was made about the content of the meeting, sources speculate that the conversation likely focused on the upcoming national elections and related political developments.
 
This high-level meeting follows recent diplomatic progress in London, where Professor Yunus met with BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. That meeting helped reduce tensions surrounding the national election schedule, a topic that had been a source of unease in political circles. The BNP had previously demanded elections be held in December, while other parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens' Party (NCP), had advocated for elections before the holy month of Ramadan.
 
Following the London dialogue, a joint statement was released confirming that the Interim Government and BNP had reached a consensus to hold the general elections in early February, instead of the earlier proposed date in April. The agreement, however, is conditional on meaningful progress in judicial and institutional reforms, a point emphasized by Professor Yunus.
 
Multiple sources who attended the London meeting reported that Tarique Rahman proposed holding elections before Ramadan in 2026. In response, Professor Yunus reportedly stated that, “If all necessary preparations are completed, elections can be held even a week before Ramadan begins.”
 
The Chief Advisor had earlier declared, in a national address ahead of Eid, that general elections would likely be scheduled for early April. That announcement triggered dissatisfaction from the BNP and led to renewed friction between the party and the interim government.
 
However, following the London talks, both sides expressed satisfaction during a post-meeting press briefing, indicating a tentative thaw in relations.
 
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