Dhaka, July 11 -- The BNP has pressed the interim government to fix a specific date for the general election, accusing certain quarters of trying to derail the process through "diversionary tactics" in the name of reform and justice.

At a protest event in Dhaka on Friday, the party's Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu warned that the longer the government delays naming a date, the deeper the "crisis" will grow.

He said the path to stability lies in "a clear and timely declaration".

According to Dudu, there is now "real hope" for a national election following a meeting in London between BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

He urged the caretaker administration to capitalise on this momentum by naming a da...