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Leaders of major political parties on Friday gave mixed reactions to interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s recent interview.

The interview was broadcast on August 13 by Singapore-based news media CNA during his visit to Malaysia.

In the interview, Professor Yunus said that holding only the election without reforms and the trial of the Awami League regime would bring the country back to old fascist regime.

Amid the mixed reactions, CA press secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said that the national election would be held in February and no force can delay the election.

In the interview, Yunus was asked whether the debate over ‘elections first or reforms first’ was a key reason behind the lack of unity among political factions and what plans the interim government had regarding the timing and nature of the national elections.

Responding, the chief adviser said, ‘Imagine, if we started with the election, we don’t need the reform. We don’t need the trial because the election will end everything from our side. So everything will go into the hands of the people who were elected. Imagine, you have the election without doing other two things [trial and reform]. Then you go back to the same old problems [like in the previous fascist regime].’

Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Mirza Abbas told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· on Friday that Yunus’s remarks showed he did not appreciate the role of elected representatives.

‘We have ousted an unelected Awami regime, but that does not mean the next elected government will be bad. A government elected through direct votes is accountable to the people. Reform of the existing system and trial of the Awami League, as desired by the people, must be carried out by the next elected government.’

Abbas added that through his remarks, the chief adviser showed disrespect towards elected representatives.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said that his party agreed with the spirit of Yunus’s statement, stressing that reforms and the trial of the Awami League regime were essential.

‘However, it is surprising that he announced the election time without first determining the legal measures needed to implement the reforms. This does not align with his interview with CNA television,’ Taher said.

He added that even if the election is held on the announced date in mid-February 2026, basic reforms could still be implemented beforehand.

National Citizen Party joint convener Javed Rasin said that his party had no objection to elections, but insisted that reforms and the trial of the ‘fascist’ Awami League regime must precede them.

He criticised the slow pace of the trial process and urged the interim government to accelerate investigations and implement key reforms.

‘Implementation of the key reforms must be done before the national election. Otherwise there will be no change from the previous ‘fascist’ regime,’ he warned.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal–JSD general secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmod Shapon welcomed Yunus’s comments, noting that a government formed through a mass uprising carries additional responsibilities.

He recalled that opposition movements for reforms had been going on even before the uprising and that public demands for reform and justice had only intensified afterwards.

‘The interim government will, of course, address those demands. At the same time, one of its most important responsibilities is to peacefully hand over power to the next government through elections. Constitutional reforms can only be carried out by an elected government. Therefore, we are not in favour of pitting justice, reforms, and elections against one another,’ he said.

Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said that justice, reform, and elections were all interrelated aspirations of the people after the uprising.

He cautioned against assuming that only the interim government would facilitate the trial of the Awami League regime and state reforms, stressing that the elected government must continue these processes.

‘The interim government will not be permanent, and if the elected government fails to continue justice and reforms, the people will not accept it. Therefore, the focus must be on ensuring that the elected government continues the process,’ he said.

Communist Party of Bangladesh central committee secretary Sajedul Haque Rubel criticised Profess Yunus’s remarks. He said that the Jamaat and the NCP were plotting to delay the next election.

‘All citizens in the country are eagerly awaiting the polls. At such a time, Professor Yunus’s remarks were irresponsible and will only encourage the Jamaat and the NCP,’ Rubel said.