Leaders of the 12-party alliance have said that not just one, but all democratic political parties in the country want the upcoming general election to be held in December this year.
They asserted that elections pave the path for the nation's liberation and progress—a fact that has been proven time and again.
In a statement issued to the media on Friday, the alliance leaders made the remarks, which were confirmed earlier in the day by alliance spokesperson Shahadat Hossain Selim.
Their statement came in response to Nobel laureate and Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, who is currently on a visit to Japan. During his speech at the Nikkei Forum, Dr Yunus remarked that only one political party wants elections in December.
Protesting this claim, the 12-party alliance leaders said the Nobel laureate professor had blatantly misrepresented the truth.
They said that not just a single party, but all pro-democracy political parties in the country have been consistently calling for elections to be held in December for the past nine months.
On the contrary, they alleged, Dr Yunus has been attempting to delay the electoral process by aligning himself with certain fundamentalist, unpopular, and anti-liberation political groups.
The alliance leaders said that on several occasions, they have called for elections to be held by June this year.
Progressive political parties across the country have echoed this demand through statements, speeches, and meetings with the chief adviser.
They added that Dr Yunus may be deluding himself into thinking he can use rhetorical tactics to maintain his position, but the people of Bangladesh have already seen through what they described as his theatrics, including his resignation stunt.
The statement further alleged that many of the political leaders with whom Dr Yunus has recently met are known for being loyal to authoritarian regimes and have taken shelter under the patronage of autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina.
These individuals, they claimed, have played no role in resisting dummy elections and have remained silent on the issue of boycotting polls. They were also absent during the student and mass protests of July and August.
By inviting several disconnected and irrelevant figures to the table, Dr Yunus has, according to the alliance, disrespected and undermined those parties and leaders who have been actively engaged in the democratic struggle and mass movements, they alleged.
They further alleged that his inappropriate conduct has caused pain and disappointment among parties associated with the pro-democracy movement.
Citing the people’s sacrifices during the liberation war in 1971, the anti-Ershad movement in 1990, and the ongoing struggle against what they termed as the fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina, the 12-party alliance said the fight has always been centred around the right to vote and democratic elections.
They alleged that Dr Yunus, along with a group of advisers, is attempting to prolong his grip on power through deceit.
They reiterated that it is possible to hold the election before December. They noted that the military has also expressed views supporting this timeline in various ways.
The alliance urged that the interim government must fulfil the public’s long-standing demand. They reminded that Dr Yunus was appointed solely to carry out interim responsibilities—not permanent duties.
They called for immediate reforms and an announcement of the election schedule. They also demanded that the trial of the fascist Awami League be carried out in parallel, noting that the process has already begun with a move to ban its activities.
Calling on the chief adviser to urgently declare a roadmap for elections to save the nation from severe crisis, the 12-party alliance leaders warned that otherwise, the people themselves would resist.
They said in that scenario, Dr Yunus would find no support from the fundamentalist and isolated political factions around him.
