Bangladesh announces national elections for February 2026

New Delhi, Aug 06: Bangladesh’s interim government which is seen as an authoritarian rule has announced that the country will hold parliamentary elections in February 2026, its first since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. The decision, declared by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during a televised address marking the anniversary of the July Uprising, marks a key step in the country’s return to electoral democracy.Yunus, who took over the leadership of the caretaker government following the collapse of Hasina’s regime in August 2024, said the interim administration would formally request the Election Commission to conduct the polls before the start of Ramadan. The Nobel laureate reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections, pledging full support to the electoral body.The announcement comes amid ongoing political flux and deepening divisions over the timeline and legitimacy of upcoming elections. Yunus had initially proposed June 2026 as a possible date, but pressure from various political groups including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP)pushed for an earlier schedule.February’s vote will be the first since the toppling of Hasina’s 15-year rule, which ended after weeks of mass student-led protests last year. Hasina left the country in early August 2024. She currently faces trial in absentia in Bangladesh on charges related to a violent crackdown on protestors during her final months in office. The charges include allegations of crimes against humanity, which she denies,part of his address, Yunus also reiterated the interim government’s reform agenda by reading out the “July Declaration” a document that outlines a framework for constitutional reform, justice for past abuses, and the institutionalisation of democratic norms. While supporters of the declaration hail it as a turning point, critics argue that it lacks legal weight and could remain symbolic unless accompanied by concrete institutional changes.Since Hasina’s departure, the Awami League has been banned and hundreds of its supporters have been detained without trial, according to human rights groups and local media reports. The situation remains volatile, with sporadic unrest and concerns about political violence still looming.