Dhaka: Bangladesh will hold its next National Election on February 12, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin confirmed in a televised address on Thursday. This will be the first general election in the country after it saw massive unrest in 2024 when the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted as a result of massive uprising followed weeks of violence that left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
The country’s last elections were held in January 2024, when Hasina returned to office for the fourth consecutive time. The 2024 elections were controversial and boycotted by major rivals of Hasina who accused her administration of rigging the vote.
Hasina fled the country to India on August 5 in the wake of huge protests last summer, and has been in exile since then.
An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has been running the country since August 8, 2024.
The Yunus-led administration has banned all activities of Hasina’s Awami League party, which means the former ruling party would not be able to join the race.
The new elections would be the 13th since the country gained independence from Pakistan through a bloody war in 1971.
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Which Political Party Has The Edge in Bangladesh
As schedule for Bangladesh national election has been finally announced, let’s deep dive into which political party may have an edge when the country votes early next year to elect its new government.
What’s The Status of Sheikh Hasina’s Party Awami League?
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has been suspended by Bangladesh’s election commission and banned it from all political activities including its online presence. This means that the Awami League will not be able to contest national elections next year.
Awami League was suspended under the Anti-Terrorism Act until ongoing trials for alleged war crimes of the party.
The interim government has disbanded Hasina’s Awami League. Hasina, the 78-year-old Awami League leader who has been convicted and sentenced to death, is currently residing in India.
Six months after Hasina’s victory in the 2024 election, protests erupted against her government. The violent street protests forced Hasina to leave for India on August 5, 2024. Three days later, Yunus took over as chief adviser of the interim government.
If Not Awami League, Will Bangladesh Nationalist Party Take The Charge
After Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was banned from performing political activities, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — the principal opposition — led by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, that boycotted 2024 elections is likely to have advantage in next year’s national elections.
Begum Khaleda Zia is currently serving as the chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, however, the 80-year-old leader is critically ill and is undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital since November 23 for multiple health complications.
Though she is “responding” to treatment, but no decision has yet been taken on whether she will be flown abroad for further medical care, her personal doctor said.
“She is being provided treatments which are needed for a critically ill patient,” Zia’s personal physician and BNP’s decision-making standing committee member, AZM Zahid Hossain, told reporters outside the private hospital.
“In medical terms, she is responding to the treatment as she did in the past,” he added, noting that foreign doctors are involved and medical-board decisions are being taken in nighttime meetings.
Hossain said the three-time prime minister is receiving care in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).
Jamaat-e-Islami Closing in Gap With BNP
After Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the Jamaat-e-Islami is also emerging as a strong contender in next year’s national election. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman is the incumbent President of Jamaat-e-Islami and is actively engaged in political discourse.
The Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina’s rule but the party re-emerged during the student uprising.
According to a survey by US-based think tank, the International Republican Institute, 33 per cent of the respondents favoured the BNP as their preferred choice for 2026 election while 29 per cent supported Jamaat-e-Islami.
Students-led National Citizen Party
The National Citizen Party is another political outfit that was formed by the students during the 2024 uprising. However, the party lacks a decisive-strong leadership and also shortage of funds.
A recent survey showed NCP was trailing far behind BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Bangladesh National Election Voting Schedule
The voting for the Bangladesh national election will take place on February 12, 2026, from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said.
A referendum will simultaneously be held on the voting day, February 12, to elicit public opinion on a series of reform proposals of the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus-led National Consensus Commission.
The announcement came a day after the CEC met President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who assured him “optimum support and cooperation” to conduct the general elections in a “free, fair and meaningful” manner.
According to the election schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers is December 29, and scrutiny of nominations will be held from December 30 to January 4. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20.
The final list of candidates will be published on January 21. Election campaigns will begin on January 22 and continue until 7:30 am on February 10, Nasir said.
With inputs from Agencies
