Bangladesh to hold general elections in April 2026, Muhammad Yunus makes big announcement
Bangladesh last year witnessed a significant political uprising as widespread protests led to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina in August, who currently is in exile in India.
Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Friday made the announcement that the national elections will be held by the first half of April 2026 amid demands from major political parties to hold polls by December.
EC will provide a detailed roadmap, says Yunus
"Based on this announcement, the Election Commission will provide a detailed roadmap for the elections at an appropriate time," he said during a televised address to the nation on the eve of the Eid-ul-Adha festival.
Yunus, who took charge after the toppling of the former premier Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August last year, said that the government’s key responsibility is to hold a clean, peaceful, festive, and inclusive election.
“Our goal is to prevent future crises. That requires institutional reform. Without ensuring good governance in the institutions directly linked to the electoral process, all the sacrifices made by students and citizens will be in vain,” the 84-year-old Nobel Laureate said.
Yunus administration to carry out three mandates - justice, reform, elections
Furthermore, Yunus said his administration took over to carry out three mandates “justice, reform and elections”.
"I have repeatedly said that this election will be held between December and June next year. The government is doing whatever is necessary to create an environment conducive to elections in the country during this period," he said.
Yunus also added that he expected the reforms and justice issues would reach an “acceptable stage” ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan next year, which is to be observed from mid-February to mid-March 2026.
The interim government refers to the “justice” issue as the trial of leaders and officials of deposed prime minister Hasina’s now disbanded Awami League and her government that was ousted in a violent movement led by the Students against Discrimination (SAD) on August 5, 2024.
Yunus, who was in Paris at that time, flew from the French capital to take charge of the interim administration as its chief adviser three days later.
A large part of the leadership of the SAD floated the National Citizen Party (NCP) with Yunus’s blessings in February this year.
Hasina, who now lives in India, and most of her senior colleagues in the party and government are in jail or fled the country as the interim government accused them of committing crimes against humanity, which may lead to capital punishment.
The deposed premier and a number of Awami League leaders and officials of the past government, however, are being tried in absentia in Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal for their role in the crackdown of last year’s uprising when hundreds of people were killed.
Yunus said with regards to the trial of crimes against humanity – “which is our collective responsibility towards the martyrs of the July mass uprising - we will be able to see visible progress” ahead of the polls.