Bangladesh to hold parliamentary elections in February 2026, announces Yunus

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, declared on Tuesday that the parliamentary election will be held in February 2026, one year after a student-led rebellion ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“On behalf of the interim government, I will write a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting that the election be arranged before Ramadan in February 2026,” Yunus said in a broadcast on the one-year anniversary of the ousting of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier Tuesday, Yunus commemorated the anniversary of the revolt by stating that its spirit will shape the future of South Asia’s democratic system. However, the event took place amid mounting anger with the interim administration’s failure to restore order and limit political squabbling.

More from World

From Hasina’s trials to Dhaka’s tribulations: Yunus marks a turbulent first year in charge A year after Hasina’s flight: Bangladesh will bring ‘Yunus and gang’ to justice, says Awami leader

The election date has been one concern. The treatment of Hasina’s now-banned political party is another. Yunus has promised an internationally acceptable election, but his critics say it could be questionable without her Awami League party as it still has a significant support base.

Hasina has been in exile in neighboring India since Aug. 5 last year, following her 15-year rule. She faces trial for crimes against humanity over the hundreds of deaths during the student-led uprising.

Yunus had sought an April election, but major political parties, mainly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, sought a February vote.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his past work developing microcredit markets, was flanked by senior leaders of major political parties as he announced a road map aimed at national unity, democratic reforms and inclusive governance. A student group that led the anti-Hasina movement had formed a political party, National Citizen Party, and campaigned for the declaration.

Senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami party were present. Zia is Hasina’s archrival, and her party is the main contender for power in the election.

The presence of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, was especially visible on the streets of the capital, Dhaka. The supporters of its student wing carried the flags of Bangladesh and Palestine.

Bangladesh is at a crossroads, with political parties struggling to find a way forward with inclusive politics. The rise of the Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist forces has drawn attention since Hasina’s ouster.