Slamming the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' suggestion to set the minimum voting age at 17, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday said that it would put pressure on the Election Commission and could also delay the election process. During a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that lowering the voting age to 17 will necessitate the preparation of a new voter list.
Alamgir added that people in Bangladesh are under the impression that the interim government is deliberately trying to delay the elections in the country; however, he added, "But that is not my perception."
Yunus, who is currently leading the interim government after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, earlier suggested that the minimum voting age should be lowered to 17 years, according to reports. In a video message which was played in an election dialogue, Yunus said, “To give their (youth) opinion on their own future, I think the voting age for them should be fixed at 17 years."
Here's what BNP said
Alamgir added that people in Bangladesh are under the impression that the interim government is deliberately trying to delay the elections in the country; however, he added, "But that is not my perception."
The BNP leader went on to add that the chief adviser should not have raised the issue without consulting the stakeholders. "Now, people will fear that even more time will be wasted and further delays will occur,” he was quoted as saying.
Alamgir attacks Muhammad Yunus
“You are the chief executive, and you said that 17 years is better. When you say this, it becomes binding on the Election Commission,” he said.
Alamgir said the government should have left the matter to the Election Commission, allowing it to make a decision.
He said that the current minimum age of 18 for becoming a voter is acceptable to all.
“If you want to reduce it by one year, then let the new Election Commission propose it and engage in discussions with the political parties,” the BNP leader said.
During his Victory Day speech on December 16, Yunus indicated that elections might be held by early 2026. "Broadly speaking, the election can be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026," he said. Yunus said that the elections would be held after updating the voters’ list.
(With agency inputs)
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