There is no justification for holding elections after December, said Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee, emphasising that all necessary reforms can be completed well ahead of the proposed timeline.Speaking to journalists on Monday evening (June 2) following a meeting of the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road, Salahuddin iterated that holding elections by December is both possible and practical – provided key electoral reforms are identified and implemented swiftly through consensus.“We definitely think that the election is possible in December,” he said.
“If we identify the required election-oriented amendments on an urgent basis and implement them through consensus before then, there is not a single reason for the polls to be delayed beyond December.” He pointed out that most reforms do not require extensive timeframes, and many can be enacted within a month through executive orders or emergency parliamentary sessions.
“There is no such reform that cannot be completed within a month. Apart from constitutional amendments – which may take longer – other legal and administrative changes can easily be made through executive action or consultations,” he added.
The National Consensus Commission meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, brought together political stakeholders to discuss the roadmap for restoring democratic order in the country.
Salahuddin stressed that timely agreement among political forces is essential to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
“We have already explained our position clearly. So, there is no reason whatsoever to delay the election until next year.”
“If we identify the required election-oriented amendments on an urgent basis and implement them through consensus before then, there is not a single reason for the polls to be delayed beyond December.” He pointed out that most reforms do not require extensive timeframes, and many can be enacted within a month through executive orders or emergency parliamentary sessions.
“There is no such reform that cannot be completed within a month. Apart from constitutional amendments – which may take longer – other legal and administrative changes can easily be made through executive action or consultations,” he added.
The National Consensus Commission meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, brought together political stakeholders to discuss the roadmap for restoring democratic order in the country.
Salahuddin stressed that timely agreement among political forces is essential to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
“We have already explained our position clearly. So, there is no reason whatsoever to delay the election until next year.”