Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday reiterated that there is “no alternative to an election” and warned that any attempt to bypass the democratic process would be “deeply dangerous” for the nation.

“There is no alternative to election. It would be deeply dangerous for the nation if anyone thinks of an alternative to the election,” Yunus was quoted as saying by his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, during talks with senior political leaders.

The Chief Adviser assured that the polls would be held in a “free, fair and festive manner” in the first half of February 2026, in line with his earlier address to the nation.

Earlier in the day, Prof Yunus held separate meetings with leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) to discuss the political situation and preparations for the upcoming election.

During the consultations, National Consensus Commission Vice Chair Prof Ali Riaz and Special Assistant for Consensus Building Monir Haider also briefed Yunus on the July Charter and views expressed by political parties.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led a delegation of senior leaders, including Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. Advisers Wahiduddin Mahmud, Dr Asif Nazrul and Adilur Rahman Khan were also present at the talks held at the state guesthouse Jamuna.

Prior to the BNP meeting, Prof Yunus sat with a four-member Jamaat delegation led by Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, as well as with NCP leaders led by senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adeeb. Both Jamaat and NCP urged the Chief Adviser to ban Jatiya Party activities, alleging its alignment with the Awami League.

Meanwhile, the interim government on Saturday issued a strong statement reaffirming its “solemn commitment” to hold the national election on schedule in February.

“All conspiracies, obstructions, or attempts to delay or derail the election will be firmly resisted by the interim government and our democracy-loving patriotic people,” it said.

The statement further stressed that the “will of the people shall prevail” and no “evil force” would be allowed to undermine the nation’s march towards democracy. The government also called for unity among political and social forces who had taken part in the July Uprising, saying this solidarity was essential to protect the gains of the movement and ensure a successful democratic transition.