Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has assured political leaders that the much-anticipated national election date and roadmap will be announced within the next four to five days, as part of the caretaker government’s effort to restore democratic order.

Head of the 12-party alliance, Mostafa Jamal Haider, quoted the Chief Adviser as saying, “Nothing could be more joyous than this. The election date and roadmap will be announced very soon — within four to five days.”

The development came during a meeting on Saturday evening at the State Guest House Jamuna with leaders of 14 political parties, including members of the 12-party alliance.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Manjurul Islam Afandi said the Chief Adviser emphasized national unity and acknowledged the multiple crises facing the country. “He told us that the government aims to move toward elections very shortly,” Manjurul added.

Some party leaders reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the sequence of invitations to the dialogue process, raising concerns of unequal treatment. They also voiced objections to the opening of a UN human rights office in the country — concerns the Chief Adviser listened to, according to participants.

Chairman of the National People’s Party (NPP), Fariduzzaman Farhad, said, “The Chief Adviser said, InshaAllah, the election date will be announced very soon. We responded with Alhamdulillah.”

Saturday’s meeting is part of a series of dialogues being held by the caretaker administration with political stakeholders. On July 22, the Chief Adviser met representatives from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens Party (NCP), and Islami Andolan Bangladesh. He followed up with discussions involving 13 other political parties the next day.

The political leaders attending the discussion include Aminul Haque Tipu Biswas of the National People’s Front; Mostafa Jamal Haider from the 12-party alliance; Maulana Abdul Majed Athari of the Nizam-e-Islam Party; Maulana Yusuf Ashraf of the Khelafat Majlis; Fariduzzaman Farhad, Chairman of the NPP; Syed Ehsanul Huda, Chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Dal; Mushtaq Hossain of JaSaD; Bobby Hajjaj of the Nationalist Democratic Movement; Shamim Haider, Secretary General of the Zaker Party; Mufti Sakhawat Hossain Raji, Secretary General of the Islami Oikya Jote; Rafiqul Islam Bablu, Chairman of the Bhasani Janashakti Party; Mostafizur Rahman Iran, Chairman of the Bangladesh Labour Party; Masud Rana, Coordinator of Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist); and Manjurul Islam Afandi of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam.