Bangladesh鈥檚 interim government chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has begun a much-anticipated meeting with Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London.
The meeting started at 9:00am (London time) at The Dorchester, the hotel where Professor Yunus is staying during his four-day official visit to the United Kingdom.
The possibility of such a meeting had been discussed for several days, but its confirmation has drawn major attention due to the country鈥檚 current political situation.
Although both sides said there was no fixed agenda, they were expected to talk about the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh, the next general elections and possible reforms.
The trial of Awami League leaders and their allies accused of involvement in mass killings during the July鈥揂ugust mass uprising might also be discussed.
Professor Yunus arrived in London on Tuesday to strengthen Bangladesh鈥揢K relations. However, this meeting with the BNP leader has become the central focus of his visit.
Senior BNP leaders welcomed the move and said it showed the government鈥檚 willingness to engage with the party.
The BNP鈥檚 standing committee gave Tarique Rahman full authority to take decisions on behalf of the party during the meeting.
Earlier, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters that the talks could be a key moment in resolving the country鈥檚 political crisis.
鈥楾his is not just another political meeting. If the discussion goes well, it could reshape the future of our national politics,鈥� he said.
On June 6, Professor Yunus announced that general elections would be held in the first half of April 2026 鈥� a timeline immediately rejected by the BNP, which remained firm in its demand for polls no later than December this year.
For now, all eyes are on the London meeting, where Bangladesh鈥檚 interim government chief and leader of the country鈥檚 major political party BNP are having what could be a very important discussion for the country鈥檚 future.
