Bangladesh to hold parliamentary election by March 2026, says Yunus aide

The next national general elections in Bangladesh are likely to be held by December this year or by March next year, Dhaka Tribune reported, citing Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser of the interim government.

Shafiqul Alam made this statement during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Monday while responding to questions from the media.

Shafiqul emphasised that the issue has been discussed multiple times, and Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus, along with several advisers, has addressed it.

Emphasising the country’s rainy season, he said, “From April, the country faces northwestern heavy rain, and by June, the monsoon begins, making those months unsuitable for elections. So, we expect the election to be held by December or, at the latest, by March.”

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Student-led protests and Hasina’s ouster

Since August 2024, Bangladesh has been experiencing significant political upheaval following massive student-led protests.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted after extensive demonstrations. The unrest began in July 2024 after the government’s reinstatement of a controversial quota system favouring the ruling Awami League in civil service jobs, which limited opportunities for many graduates.

As the protests intensified, Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee the country and is now residing in neighbouring India.

In the aftermath, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was established, aiming to reform the nation’s institutions and address the issues that sparked the unrest.

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Agitating students to launch party

In the meantime, Bangladeshi students who led the protests are set to launch a political party this week, two sources with direct knowledge of the development said.

The Students Against Discrimination (SAD) group spearheaded the protests, which began as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas but quickly morphed into a broader, nationwide uprising that forced Hasina to flee to India as the unrest peaked in early August.