Bangladesh’s interim government has said it is ready to hold elections in February even as political uncertainty deepens following an internal revolt within a youth-led party over its alliance with an Islamist group.
“We are fully prepared,” Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh said, adding that any attempts to disrupt peace ahead of the elections would be dealt with firmly.
He made the remarks during a farewell meeting on Monday with US ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson at the state guesthouse Jamuna.
The discussions, per Yunus, covered the upcoming February parliamentary elections and referendum, along with trade, civil aviation, labour reforms initiated by the interim government, and overall bilateral relations.
The post on X (formerly Twitter) from Yunus said Jacobson, who is returning home after a year-long tenure in Bangladesh, appreciated the leadership of the chief adviser over the past 17 months and reiterated the support of the US government for the February elections.
The US envoy, Yunus said, lauded reforms undertaken by the interim government, particularly the labour laws, describing them as “truly remarkable and extraordinary” and saying they would help attract greater foreign direct investment.
She also apparently commended the withdrawal of 45 of the 46 cases filed against labour leaders under previous governments.
Yunus described the new labour ordinance as an “excellent piece of legislation,” adding that leading Bangladeshi labour activists have publicly welcomed the reforms and the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions by the interim government.
The two sides also discussed funding for Rohingya humanitarian assistance.
Thanking Washington for its continued support, Yunus noted, “The United States remains the single largest donor to life-saving humanitarian aid for more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingya living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh.”
He expressed hope that such assistance would continue.
The government’s assurances come as political tensions rise ahead of the February 12 polls, with the National Citizen Party (NCP), a youth-driven party born out of the 2024 uprising, facing open dissent after sealing an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.
At least 30 senior NCP leaders have opposed the alliance announced on Sunday, with several resigning in protest. Analysts warn the move could jeopardise the party’s future and strengthen more established political forces.
“The NCP presented itself as a youth-driven alternative to traditional power structures. That identity is now under serious strain,” academic H.M. Nazmul Alam told Reuters. “Youth-based movements do not collapse only because they lose elections. They collapse when they lose clarity and internal unity.”
The NCP was formed earlier this year by leaders of protests that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Driven largely by Gen-Z activists, the party says it aims to free the country from decades of nepotism and the dominance of the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
With the Awami League banned, the election is expected to be a direct contest between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which had not been allowed to contest polls since 2013 until restrictions were revoked by the interim government in August 2024.
NCP chief Nahid Islam defended the alliance, citing security concerns following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in the uprising.
“The dictatorship we overthrew is attempting to sabotage the election. Therefore, for the sake of greater unity, we have reached an electoral understanding with Jamaat,” said Nahid, 27. “This was a majority decision within the party, but some may be opposed to it and they are free to take their own decisions.”
Hadi was shot dead earlier this month while launching his election campaign as an independent candidate. Police say the suspects have been identified but no arrests have been made.
Former NCP leader Tasnim Jara, who resigned over the alliance, said: “I promised you and the people of this country that I would fight for you and for building a new political culture. Whatever the circumstances, I am determined to keep that promise.”
Political analyst Asif Shahan of the University of Dhaka warned the alliance could erode the party’s core identity. “If you go with Jamaat, it will help Jamaat, not you,” he told Reuters. “It will give them a liberal cover, and in return, you will become a force for the right. Your centrist idea and ideology – already poorly defined – will simply vanish.”