DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh ’s interim leader announced Tuesday that the parliamentary election will be in February, as the country marked a year since a student-led uprising led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Muhammad Yunus spoke in a televised address and said he would request the Election Commission to organize the election before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. That will begin on Feb. 17 or 18, depending on when the new crescent moon is sighted there.
Earlier Tuesday, Yunus marked the uprising's anniversary by saying its spirit would build the future of the South Asian nation’s democracy. But the event was held amid growing frustration over the interim administration’s failure to restore order and bring political bickering under control.
The election date has been one concern. The treatment of Hasina's now-banned political party is another. Yunus has promised an internationally acceptable election, but his critics say it could be questionable without her Awami League party as it still has a significant support base.
Hasina has been in exile in neighboring India since Aug. 5 last year, following her 15-year rule. She faces trial for crimes against humanity over the hundreds of deaths during the student-led uprising.
Yunus had sought an April election, but major political parties, mainly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, sought a February vote.
Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his past work developing microcredit markets, was flanked by senior leaders of major political parties as he announced a road map aimed at national unity, democratic reforms and inclusive governance. A student group that led the anti-Hasina movement had formed a political party, National Citizen Party, and campaigned for the declaration.
Senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami party were present. Zia is Hasina’s archrival, and her party is the main contender for power in the election.
The presence of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, was especially visible on the streets of the capital, Dhaka. The supporters of its student wing carried the flags of Bangladesh and Palestine.
Bangladesh is at a crossroads, with political parties struggling to find a way forward with inclusive politics. The rise of the Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist forces has drawn attention since Hasina's ouster.
Julhas Alam, The Associated Press
