The BNP has welcomed the Election Commission’s (EC) recently announced roadmap for the upcoming national elections. The EC unveiled its detailed action plan for the 13th National Parliamentary Election on Thursday afternoon.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed stated, “We will announce the election schedule 60 days before polling. The Chief Adviser’s office has instructed us to hold the elections before the start of Ramadan, which begins on 17 or 18 February.”

In an immediate reaction to the announcement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told Prothom Alo: “We feel reassured that the Election Commission is moving forward to ensure elections next February.”

Islamic Movement’s Response

Reacting to the EC roadmap, Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, Joint Secretary General and spokesperson of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, criticized the plan. He said in a press release that the roadmap reflects the continuation of the old system and ignores the spirit of the July uprising.

He added that there is still no clarity on whether the elections will be held under the current system or through proportional representation (PR). Many political parties are advocating for PR, and the EC has no moral authority to announce such a roadmap before resolving this issue. According to Islami Andolan, the EC should first provide a roadmap for implementing the July Charter before presenting any election schedule.

Ganosamhati Andolan’s Response

Ganosamhati Andolan welcomed the EC roadmap. In a statement, party coordinator Zonayed Saki said: “Justice, reform, and elections are currently the nation’s top priorities. The EC’s announced roadmap is essentially the formalization of the interim government’s election plan, and we welcome it.”

He also emphasized that all stakeholders involved in the election must ensure that fears of election disruption or environment deterioration are addressed, leaving no space for unnecessary doubts or conflict.

Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party’s Response

The AB Party described the EC’s roadmap as a positive step toward the parliamentary elections. In a statement, Chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju and General Secretary Asaduzzaman Fuad said they had hoped the EC would hold a formal consultation with political parties and stakeholders before announcing the roadmap, which did not happen.

The party noted that, despite the government and EC expressing firm intent to hold the elections, public doubts remain—mainly due to uncertainty regarding the implementation of the July Charter. They added that unless public confidence is established in the administration and law enforcement agencies, holding a widely accepted and credible election will be difficult.