BNP leader Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon warned that if Ishraq Hossain is not sworn in as mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation by May 26, a contempt of court case will be filed against responsible authorities. He stated that, following the publication of the election gazette, the relevant ministry is constitutionally obligated to arrange the oath ceremony. Khokon also emphasized that holding a fair national election is the interim government’s primary responsibility and warned of chaos if elections are not held by December.

BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan stated at a rally that the national election cannot be postponed simply because some parties are not yet organized. “We will not wait for them. The people will not tolerate further delays,” he said. Khan stressed the need for electoral reforms within the next three months to enable a fair election in December. At the same event, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi praised Dr. Muhammad Yunus personally but criticized the influence of Asif Mahmud, warning against foreign control over the Chattogram port and corridors.

BNP leader Ishraq Hossain has demanded the immediate resignation of three controversial advisers in the interim government. Alternatively, he insists they must sign a written pledge stating they will not contest in the upcoming national elections. In a Facebook post, Ishraq stated that this issue is "non-negotiable." He further called for an interrogation of the National Security Adviser to uncover any potential threats against Bangladesh.

BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain warned, "Any delay in elections—under any pretext—will create conditions for a return to autocracy. The interim government and its associates will be held responsible." He urged for swift democratic transition through free and fair elections. He also called for reconstitution of the advisory council to remove controversial members, stating that BNP leaders have faced the greatest personal and political loss and demand accountability for the Awami League’s actions. He concluded, "We never called for the Chief Adviser’s resignation; rather, BNP has cooperated from day one."

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that political parties expressed confidence in Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus, with none demanding his resignation. Instead, they signaled willingness to provide him with the necessary support and time. During the meeting, three parties discussed political unrest, election timelines, reform processes, and the judiciary. Dr. Yunus reiterated his proposal to hold elections between December and June, emphasizing June 30 as a definitive deadline, affirming, “He is a man of his word.”

Nagorik Oikya leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus not to consider stepping down. “The people trust him. His sense of duty to the nation won’t allow him to walk away,” Manna said. “As the executive head, he cannot favor anyone. If some have been corrupt in a short time, that’s not a reason to quit in frustration.” He acknowledged the military chief’s recent comments on elections, saying, “The election roadmap must be made clear. I hope Dr. Yunus won’t take any steps that destabilize the nation.”

Two former leaders of the banned Chhatra League have been controversially appointed as president and organizing secretary of Chhatra Dal’s Bar Aulia Degree College unit in Lohagara, Chattogram. Their names—Mohammad Minhaj (President) and Raihan Uddin Munna (Organizing Secretary)—have sparked backlash, with viral images circulating showing their prior affiliations with Awami League student politics. Chattogram South District Chhatra Dal has been urged to remove the names within 72 hours.

Nahid Islam, Convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP), stated, "We’ve called on Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus to declare all elections held under the Awami League regime illegal." On Saturday night, an NCP delegation led by Islam met with Dr. Yunus. The delegation included Joint Secretary Mushfiq-us-Salehin, Chief Organizer Hasnat Abdullah, and Senior Joint Secretary Tasnim Zara.

Following a one-hour meeting with the Chief Adviser on Saturday night, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman stated, "We conveyed that holding elections before implementing key reforms would fail to meet public expectations." He was joined by senior leaders Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Asif Mahmud, and National Consensus Commission Vice President Ali Riaz. Earlier, Taher told the press, “We’ve come to discuss the overall situation of the country.”

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed stated, "We have formally and verbally demanded the resignation of two student advisers and the national security adviser for compromising the neutrality of the interim government. We've raised this before." Regarding the election roadmap, he added, "The Chief Adviser has not given specific details. We’ve made our demands clear. Perhaps they’ll respond through a press briefing, and we’ll wait for that before issuing a reaction."

A delegation led by Nahid Islam, Convenor of the National Coordination Platform (NCP), is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus at 8:30 PM tonight (Saturday) at Jamuna. The delegation will include NCP Joint Member Secretary Mushfiq-us-Salehin, Chief Organiser Hasnat Abdullah, and Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Zara.

Earlier in the evening, Dr. Yunus also held a meeting with a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. Other BNP leaders present at the meeting were Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Salahuddin Ahmed.

To block Dhaka South Mayor Ishraq Hossain, the banned Awami League and National Citizen Party (NCP) appear to have formed a tactical alliance. Lawyer Salauddin Regan, once an AL nomination seeker, sent a legal notice to the interim government on behalf of an NCP leader demanding city election schedules. Regan, previously arrested for violence in the Supreme Court, still displays AL imagery on Facebook. This has sparked debate, with many accusing AL-NCP factions of conspiring under the influence of ex-mayor Taposh.

At a recent seminar, BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury stated that numerous investors are interested in coming to Bangladesh, but they are waiting for a credible and fair election. “The key issue now is how quickly we can return to democracy,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of investment in national progress, Khasru emphasized that the capital market must be the primary source of future investments. “To ensure future investment, we must revive the capital market,” he asserted.

He criticized the current state of the stock market, saying, “It has become a casino where certain groups manipulate and exploit it before walking away. This has been happening for the past 15 years, and we need to break this cycle.”

GOP leader Rasheed Khan dismissed recent rumors about a possible political intervention similar to the 1/11 episode, calling them a deliberate attempt to mislead and intimidate the public. “One must question whether those who are loudly talking about 1/11 now are in fact hoping for its return,” he wrote. “Their circles are surrounded by the very same actors of that era — likely advising them to stir panic.” Rasheed expressed hope that Bangladesh will embark on a democratic path toward national reform under the leadership of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and that a new chapter in the nation’s history will be written. He emphasized that political tolerance and national unity are crucial for realizing this vision.

Rafe Salman Rifat, a leader of the Youth for People’s Power (UP Bangladesh), stated on Facebook that the July uprising had no single figurehead. “Sadiq Kayem, Nahid, Mahfuz, and Zunaed — none led the others; there was no singular ‘imam’ of this movement. The sacrifice of the martyrs and the injured turned the student and public protests into a full-scale uprising,” he wrote. Rifat added, “This was also a direct consequence of the brutal repression by Hasina’s regime and the spontaneous unity of the people against it.” He warned that post-August 5 efforts to impose a singular leadership narrative only sowed division and mistrust. Rifat further noted that Dr. Muhammad Yunus has viewed the movement through the lens of a few select individuals, while remaining unaware of the broader collective leadership including Sadiq Kayem, Hasnat Abdullah, Ali Ahsan Zunaed, Sibghatullah, and student leaders like Rakib and Nasir. Had this collective leadership been acknowledged earlier, the current coordination crisis among movement leaders might have been avoided.