Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has demanded the removal of three advisers—Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman and Student Advisers Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and Mahfuz Alam—citing concerns over the neutrality of the interim government.
The party made this demand in writing during a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his official residence, Jamuna, on Saturday (May 24) evening.
Following the meeting, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that the presence of these advisers undermines the government’s impartiality. “We’ve raised this issue both verbally and in writing,” he said. When asked if any assurances were given, he replied, “They said they would look into it.”
Asked whether the government provided a specific election roadmap, Salahuddin said no concrete plan was shared, but they were told a response might come through the press wing.
Another Standing Committee member, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, said the discussion focused on reforms, justice, and elections. “We are clear on reforms, and they agreed. Reforms will be based on consensus and can be completed quickly,” he added.
He also noted that both sides agreed the judiciary would lead legal processes and that an election could be held even before December.
BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan emphasized that an early election could restore order and democracy, while delays might lead to authoritarianism.
Reading a written statement after the meeting, senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain warned that any delay in elections would risk the return of autocracy. He reiterated that the interim government`s key role is to ensure a swift transition to democracy through a free and fair election and that the advisory council must be restructured to maintain neutrality.
