BNP Accuses Muhammad Yunus of Using ‘Reforms’ as Excuse to Delay Polls

The political storm in Bangladesh continues to intensify. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has accused interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of deliberately delaying reforms to push national elections beyond 2025.

On Saturday, BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed slammed the interim government for offering “empty gestures” instead of real action. He claimed Yunus keeps inaugurating the same reforms repeatedly to buy time and avoid holding elections within the promised timeline.

‘How Many Times Will You Inaugurate Reforms?’

Attending an event organized by the Krishak Dal in Dhaka, Salahuddin Ahmed was frustrated over Yunus’s timeline. In his opinion, the interim government has not done any tangible thing to ensure elections are held before the end of 2025. Rather, Yunus has remarked that the polls will be held between December 2025 and June 2026.

How many times will you launch these reforms?” asked Salahuddin Ahmed, referring to Yunus’s next new announcement on June 2. He blamed the administration for going through meaningless rituals rather than producing results. The ceremony also commemorated the 44th anniversary of party founder Ziaur Rahman’s death.

‘You’re Just Showing Us the Banana of Reforms’

Salahuddin Ahmed ridiculed the reforms as a joke. He stated, “You are simply exhibiting the ‘banana of reforms’,” accusing the administration of consolidating previous promises into fresh ones without forward movement.

He warned that Muhammad Yunus continues to retreat from previous guarantees. “You guaranteed polls in December. Now you state otherwise. This is regrettable,” he added.

Yunus Faces Backlash Over Tokyo Remarks

While Muhammad Yunus was in Tokyo, BNP’s Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury reacted to Yunus’s latest remarks. He claimed that not all sides are interested in having polls next year. Chowdhury retorted that only the parties formed after August 5 oppose elections this year. “At least 52 parties are eager to have elections by December,” he told the Jatiya Press Club.

He also said that opposition parties do not have the backing of the people. “Only four or five non-registered parties are against early polls. They don’t represent the people,” he added. He reiterated that only a parliament elected can bring back stability.

‘This Cannot Continue’

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury threatened more instability if the interim government continues to disregard the people. “The interim arrangement has no relation with the people. It’s like everyone is doing everything as they desire. This cannot go on,” he said.

He stated that Bangladesh requires actual change otherwise after the departure of Sheikh Hasina. “Any party that does not understand that has no future for this country,” he claimed. The confrontation between Yunus and the BNP continues unabated. With the demand for early polls escalating, pressure is mounting on the caretaker government.