The meetings of the chief adviser to the interim government with political parties on May 24, presumably aimed at resolving the ongoing political and other crises that had led the increasingly frustrated chief adviser to consider resignation, appear not to have decisively eased the stalemate. Conflicting demands from various political parties, especially the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party, concerning national elections and reforms and numerous protests by different groups, coupled with several controversial steps taken by the interim government, have recently deepened the crisis. While the government and the political parties seem to agree on broad areas that require action 鈥� election, trial and reforms 鈥� there are differences among them regarding the order and the priority of the issues. All the three parties agree on the need for free, fair elections, the trial of Awami League leaders, activists and law enforcement personnel involved in the July massacre and the implementation of reforms in several important areas. However, they differ significantly on the sequencing of the priorities, particularly regarding the timing of elections. The BNP iterated its demand for national elections by December and called for a clear road map to that goal.
Regarding reforms, the BNP has urged the interim government to effect a minimum set of reforms based on national consensus, with an emphasis on prioritising electoral reforms. The party has also demanded the removal of certain 鈥榓dvisers鈥�, alleging that their roles undermine the government鈥檚 political neutrality. Jamaat-e-Islami, which has no objection to elections by June 2026, on the other hand, has suggested that the ongoing crisis could be resolved by announcing two distinct road maps: one for the elections and the other for reforms. The NCP has maintained its earlier stance, demanding the announcement of the promised July declaration in 30 days, along with a road map to the trial for the July uprising killings, necessary reforms and local government elections before the national polls. The army has, meanwhile, expressed its intention to have elections by this December. The situation calls for the government to reassess its priorities in order to strike a balance. It must also realise that the students that led the victorious uprising, the political parties that supported the interim regime and the army that facilitated the installation of the government are the very sources of the legitimacy it enjoys. The withdrawal of support by any of the components would proportionally undermine this legitimacy. Meanwhile, the political parties, particularly the BNP, which has been consistently demanding a road map to national elections, should also present a specific, time-bound plan outlining the reforms that they intend to implement if they should be voted to power.
The interim government and the political forces that contributed to the overthrow of the autocratic Awami League regime must, therefore, reconsider their positions, re-evaluate their priorities and work together for a peaceful transition to a democratic order.
