The separate meetings of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) with the chief adviser of the interim government have sparked new debates in the political arena. All three parties have questioned the neutrality of certain advisers, with some even demanding their removal.

However, an analysis of the nature of their complaints and political positions reveals that the parties are not only trying to put pressure on the government but also on one another. A subtle competition over administrative influence ahead of the election has become evident.

BNP met with the chief adviser at the state guesthouse Jamuna on Tuesday, followed by Jamaat and NCP on Wednesday. The three parties remain firmly divided on several key issues -- particularly the legal basis of the July National Charter, as well as the timing and process of the proposed referendum.