A large number of BNP supporters have gathered outside the Hotel Dorchester in London. They assembled ahead of the much-anticipated meeting between Interim Government’s Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, which began at 2 PM Bangladesh time on Friday, June 13. The supporters were seen holding various banners and festoons.
Speculation about this meeting had been circulating in political circles for several days. After the government and BNP officially confirmed the meeting on Monday, June 9, there was widespread discussion about the agenda and the issues Tarique Rahman might raise. In a BNP Standing Committee meeting on the same day, the responsibility for the discussions was fully entrusted to Tarique Rahman.
According to party sources, the meeting is expected to focus mainly on three key issues: elections, reforms, and justice. However, the primary emphasis will be on scheduling the upcoming national election. Although the Interim Government has announced a roadmap to hold the election in the first half of April next year, BNP considers this timeline unreasonable. The party believes December of the current year would be a more suitable time for the election. Still, sources say BNP would not object if the election takes place in January or February before Ramadan.
Notably, Dr. Muhammad Yunus is currently in London on a four-day official visit, while Tarique Rahman has been residing in London with his family since 2008.
