BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed has expressed disappointment over the announcement of an April 2026 national election, stating that it does not align with the expectations of the nation or the party.
In a video message released on Friday night following Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s address to the nation, Salahuddin remarked that the decision to schedule the election for the first half of April ignores repeated calls by over 50 political parties, including BNP, for elections to be held by December 2025.
He argued that if the Chief Advisor had proposed holding the polls by January 2026 at the latest, it could have been acceptable. Even a late December or early January schedule would have been tolerable, Salahuddin added.
He further noted that the Chief Advisor’s speech included many reflections on the government`s accomplishments and future intentions, but only briefly touched upon the critical issue of election timing.
Highlighting the practical difficulties of an April election, Salahuddin pointed out that public exams typically take place during this time, and weather conditions may not be favorable.
He also mentioned that the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin around February 16 to 18, 2026, which would place the official campaign period squarely within Ramadan—something he described as ‘an unreasonable idea.’
Salahuddin said that the BNP will consult internally, as well as with allied and like-minded democratic parties, before issuing a formal response and outlining further steps.
