THREE days of political rallies began in Dhaka on Thursday, with rival political groups holding mass demonstrations to mobilise support ahead of national elections.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, 84, has been leading the interim government since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in August after protesters stormed her palace. Yunus has said that elections could take place as early as December, or by mid-2026 at the latest.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), seen as a leading contender in the upcoming polls, is organising a May Day rally in the capital.
"We are confident this will be the most memorable grand rally in recent times," BNP media officer Shairul Kabir Khan said.
Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist political party, is also holding a rally in Dhaka on Thursday. The Jatiya Party, previously aligned with Hasina's government, will organise a public event as well — its first outdoor rally since its offices were damaged in October. The attack was allegedly in response to its support for Hasina's Awami League.
On Friday, the National Citizens Party (NCP), formed by students who led last year's protests that ousted Hasina, will hold a rally.
NCP leader Nahid Islam initially joined Yunus’s interim government but later resigned and formed the new party.
"Political programmes help us build public engagement," said senior NCP official Ariful Islam Adib. "This rally isn't about showing strength, but we expect 20,000 to 30,000 attendees."
On Saturday, Hefazat-e-Islam, a network of Islamic seminaries, will hold what it calls a "grand rally."
"Our rally is a reminder to the government of the sacrifices we've made," said its leader Mamunul Haque. He added that the event would also be used to present key demands.
"We will present four demands. Chief among them is scrapping the recommendations of the Women's Rights Commission," Haque said.
"We don't care if it's Muhammad Yunus in charge or someone even more prominent, we'll take to the streets," he added.
Democratic reforms and upcoming elections
Sheikh Hasina’s government was accused of widespread human rights violations during her 15 years in power and had taken a hard stance against Islamist movements.
She is currently in self-imposed exile in India and has ignored an arrest warrant issued by Dhaka over charges of crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh, with a population of around 170 million, last held elections in January 2024. Hasina won a fourth term in that vote, which opposition parties boycotted following a government crackdown.
It is still unclear whether Hasina’s Awami League will participate in the upcoming elections.
Muhammad Yunus has said that the caretaker administration's role is to carry out democratic reforms before holding a fresh vote.
The election timeline, he said, will depend on the level of consensus among political parties.
"If they are in a hurry... then we have the early election in December," Yunus told broadcaster Al Jazeera on Sunday. "If they want a longer version, we go up to June. Beyond June, we don't go."
(With inputs from AFP)
