TrendingVideosIndia
Opinions | CommentEditorialsThe MiddleLetters to the EditorReflections
Sports
State | Himachal PradeshPunjabJammu & KashmirHaryanaChhattisgarhMadhya PradeshRajasthanUttarakhandUttar Pradesh
City | ChandigarhAmritsarJalandharLudhianaDelhiPatialaBathindaShaharnama
World | United StatesPakistan
Diaspora
Features | The Tribune ScienceTime CapsuleSpectrumIn-DepthTravelFood
Business | My MoneyAutoZone
UPSC | Exam ScheduleExam Mentor
Don't Miss
Advertisement

Yunus’ suggestion to lower voting age to 17 draws BNP’s criticism

Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium

Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only Benefits
Yearly Premium ₹999 ₹349/Year
Yearly Premium $49 $24.99/Year
Advertisement

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday said that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ suggestion to set the minimum voting age at 17 would put pressure on the Election Commission and could delay the election process.

Advertisement

Yunus, 84, who was sworn-in to lead the interim government after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August, on Friday suggested that the minimum voter age should be lowered to 17 years, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Advertisement

In a video message 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.”

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, during a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club here, said the chief adviser’s suggestion to lower the voting age to 17 means a new voter list would have to be prepared. “Now, people will fear that even more time will be wasted and further delays will occur,” he was quoted as saying.

Alamgir said there is an impression among the people that the interim government is deliberately trying to delay the election process. “But that is not my perception,” he added.

Advertisement

The BNP leader said the chief adviser should not have raised the issue without first consulting the stakeholders.

“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.

Advertisement
Show comments
Advertisement