Interim Bangladeshi leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus announced on Friday that national elections will be held in the first half of April 2026. This will mark the first election since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule ended in August 2024 following a student-led uprising.
Addressing the nation on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday, the 84-year-old caretaker leader emphasized the need for comprehensive institutional reform before the country heads to the polls. “It should be remembered that Bangladesh has plunged into deep crisis every time it has held a flawed election,” Yunus warned in a televised address.
The South Asian nation of 170 million has experienced prolonged political unrest and uncertainty since Hasina’s departure. Her administration was widely criticized for human rights abuses, politicization of the judiciary and civil service, and for overseeing questionable elections.
Yunus, who assumed leadership shortly after the mass protests, reiterated that the interim government is committed to creating an environment conducive to free, fair, and participatory elections. “One of the biggest responsibilities of this government is to ensure a transparent… and widely participatory election so that the country does not fall into a new phase of crisis,” he said.
Political pressure for a clear election timetable has intensified in recent months. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), currently seen as the frontrunner, has been demanding elections be held by December 2025. Their calls were echoed by Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, who in May publicly supported a December vote.
Despite these calls, Yunus defended the April 2026 date, arguing that more time is essential to rebuild democratic institutions and prevent the recurrence of flawed electoral practices. “Those who organise such elections are later viewed as culprits, and those who assume office through them become targets of public hatred,” he warned.
The announcement sets the stage for what could be a pivotal election in Bangladesh’s political history, as the nation attempts to transition from years of authoritarian rule to a more transparent and democratic future.
