Bangladesh: Khaleda Zia’s backers demand new election

Tens of thousands of students and youths from a leading Bangladeshi political party rallied in the capital, Dhaka, on Wednesday, calling for a general election in December as discontent grows with the interim government appointed after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.

Activists from three groups linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia gathered on the streets outside its party headquarters, under heightened security.

Wednesday's rally was held after weeks of political tensions after interim leader and Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus threatened to quit and the influential military chief publicly declared his support for an election in December.

Zia, who has been suffering from ill-health for several years, recently returned to Bangladesh after four months of medical treatment in London, putting further pressure on Bangladesh's interim government to call an election.

"We have come here to respond to the call for the unity of the young people. We want democracy, we want election. Next election should be held soon, not later than December," Jahangir Hossain, a student activist, told The Associated Press. "We are united for democracy."

Hasina, Zia's archrival, has been in exile in India since she was toppled last year by a mass uprising. Her party, the Awami League, was also banned by the interim government.

The BNP's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, Zia's elder son, addressed the rally later on Wednesday by video link from London, where he is in exile.

Detailing his party's future plans for youth and others, Rahman reiterated his call for the next elections to be held in December and asked his supporters to prepare.

"The polls must be held by December. It has to take place within December," he said.

The interim government has been shaken by a series of protests, including by civil servants, primary school teachers and employees at the national revenue service in recent weeks. Many, including New York-based Human Rights Watch, accuse the government of failures in prosecuting organized crime figures responsible for killing and injuring hundreds of people. The rights group in a statement this month blamed the interim administration for legislative initiatives that undermine fundamental freedoms,

Business bodies have also criticized Yunus over the weakness of the economy and labor unrest.

When Yunus came to power, he promised to make reforms in areas including the election law, women's rights and general administration, but the process has been slow and his critics believe he is using delaying tactics to remain in power.

The 10 months of rule under Yunus also marked a visible rise of influence by Islamists in the Muslim-majority country, which is governed largely by a secular constitution and legal system. A fatigued military, which has been out of barracks since July last year to maintain law and order, is unhappy because of the delay in returning to democracy.

The BNP recently met with Yunus and reiterated its demand for an election in December, saying that if Yunus quits, the country will find an alternative leader. But Yunus' associates later said he was staying.

Yunus promised to hold an election by June 2026, depending on the extent of reforms it has undertaken. The BNP, which is hopeful of forming the next government with the absence of Hasina's Awami League, said the pace of implementation of reforms should not be an excuse to delay the election and argued that the reform is a continuous process.