Staff Correspondent:
The interim government has said it will firmly resist any conspiracies, obstructions, or attempts to delay or derail the upcoming national election to be held in February.
“The interim government reaffirms in the strongest possible terms that the national election will be held on time, in the first half of February 2026. This is the solemn commitment of the interim government to the people of Bangladesh,” said a statement issued by the government on Saturday (August30).
The government also called for unity among all political and social forces that took part in the July Uprising.
“This unity is essential to protect the gains of our struggle, to resist all conspiracies against the people’s mandate, and to ensure our successful transition to democracy,” said the government statement.
To this end, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will hold meetings with the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP) on Sunday (August31) to discuss the national election as well as the current situation of the country.
In its statement, the government strongly condemned the brutal attack on Nurul Haque Nur, president of the Gono Odhikar Parishad and a prominent leader of the July Uprising.
“Such acts of violence are an assault not only on Mr. Nur but also on the spirit of the democratic movement that brought the nation together in its historic struggle for justice and accountability,” said the statement.
It stated that the government assures the people of Bangladesh that a thorough and impartial investigation into this “heinous incident” will be conducted with utmost urgency.
“No individual, regardless of influence or position, will be spared from accountability. Justice will be delivered transparently and swiftly,” read the statement.
Mentioning that a specialised medical board has been formed to oversee the treatment of Nur and other injured members of his party, the statement noted that the government is committed to ensuring that they receive the highest standard of medical care.
“Should their conditions require it, they will be flown abroad for advanced treatment at state expense,” it added.
The statement also acknowledged Nur’s contribution in the 2018 anti-quota protests and last year’s July Uprising.
The statement comes in the backdrop of a clash which broke out between activists of the Jatiyo Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad in front of the Jatiyo Party’s central office in the capital’s Kakrail on Friday evening (August29), which left several people injured including Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur, who was later admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in a “critical” condition.
Jatiyo Party leaders alleged that activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad launched an attack on them while marching past the party office.
On the other hand, Gono Odhikar Parishad leaders claimed that it was the Jatiyo Party supporters who first hurled bricks and stones at their procession, provoking the clash.
Following the clashes, a large number of law enforcement personnel, including army and police, were deployed to the scene to restore order, according to police.