BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has stated that there is no option but to hold the national election by February.

He made the remarks during an urgent meeting of the National Consensus Commission with political parties on the implementation of the July Charter. The meeting was also attended by the commission chief and chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus.

Salahuddin Ahmed emphasised, “The election must be held in February; there is no alternative.”

Addressing the chief adviser, he added, “Our support for you is not unlimited; it has boundaries. Our support is conditional, and you must understand this.”

The BNP leader also raised concerns regarding the relationship between the chief adviser and the defence forces. He said, “We want the relationship with the defence forces to remain stable. The balance of the state must be maintained. We do not want to face any risk ahead of the election, as we would not be able to handle it.”

Earlier, members of the commission held a meeting with the chief adviser at the state guesthouse Jamuna. The meeting was presided over by Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Last Tuesday, the National Consensus Commission sent the final copy of the long-awaited July National Charter 2025 to political parties. However, the charter contains no recommendations on how to implement the proposed reforms. The commission will provide relevant suggestions to the interim government and the parties later.

Following the July mass uprising, the interim government initiated reforms in various state sectors. In the first phase, six reform commissions were formed—covering the constitution, election system, public administration, anti-corruption, police, and judiciary. The National Consensus Commission discussed the reform proposals with political parties.

In two phases of discussions between February and July, the commission reached consensus on 84 reform proposals with 63 political parties. These proposals now form part of the July National Charter.

The charter signing ceremony will take place at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on Friday, 17 October. Nearly 3,000 guests have been invited, including 30 political parties and alliances.

The July National Charter is divided into three parts: the first part outlines the background, the second part lists 84 reform proposals, and the third part contains a seven-point pledge for implementing the charter.