Bangladesh’s Yunus sets national elections for April 2026

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus announced on Friday that Bangladesh will hold national elections in early April 2026, marking the first polls since a mass uprising toppled the government last year.

The South Asian country, home to approximately 170 million people, has faced political unrest since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in August 2024 following a student-led revolt, ending her 15-year authoritarian tenure.

Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate heading the caretaker government, stated, “I am informing the nation that the elections will take place on a date within the first half of April 2026.”

Political parties competing for power have consistently called on Yunus to set a clear election schedule, but the interim leader has emphasized the need for more time to reform the country’s democratic institutions following Hasina’s long rule.

In a televised address ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, Yunus stressed that the government is taking all necessary steps to create a suitable environment for the upcoming elections, while reiterating the importance of reforms.

"It should be remembered that Bangladesh has descended into deep crisis whenever flawed elections have been held," he warned.

"In the past, a political party seized power through such elections and became a brutal fascist regime." Sheikh Hasina’s tenure was marked by widespread human rights violations, with her administration accused of politicizing the judiciary and civil service, as well as conducting unfair elections.

The interim government has consistently pledged to hold elections by June 2026, emphasizing that allowing more time for necessary reforms will better ensure a credible and stable electoral process.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), considered the leading contender in the upcoming elections, has recently intensified calls for polls to be held by December.

In May, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman also advocated for elections by December during a speech to military officers, according to Bangladeshi media and military insiders.

Shortly after, the interim government cautioned that ongoing political power struggles could threaten the progress achieved so far.

"Those who oversee flawed elections are often blamed afterward, and those who come to power through them become targets of public resentment," Yunus said on Friday.

He emphasized that one of the government’s primary duties is to guarantee a transparent and inclusive election to prevent the country from slipping into another crisis.

"This is why institutional reform is absolutely critical," he added.