Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has informed a visiting U.S. delegation that it wants the upcoming national election to be held before the next Ramadan, which is expected to begin in late February. The meeting took place on Wednesday (April 16) in Dhaka’s Gulshan area.

After the discussion, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that while the current government has hinted at holding elections by June 2026, his party strongly opposes such a delay. He emphasized that elections should be conducted earlier, ideally before Ramadan, and conveyed this stance to the U.S. representatives.

Dr. Rahman also expressed the party’s expectation of judicial accountability for the ruling Awami League, mentioning that Jamaat-e-Islami wishes to see fair legal proceedings against the party’s leadership.

In addition, he urged the U.S. delegation to consider lifting existing trade sanctions in light of Bangladesh’s current political climate.

This visit marks the first by high-level U.S. officials since the mass uprising in July. The delegation includes Nicole Chulick, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia; Andrew Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific; and Susan Stevenson, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Myanmar. They are scheduled to meet with leaders from other political parties, as well as Foreign Affairs Adviser Tawhid Hossain and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Thursday.