Bangladesh will head to the polls in early April 2026, marking the country’s first election since last year’s mass uprising that toppled the Sheikh Hasina government, interim leader Muhammad Yunus announced on Friday.
Addressing the nation, Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate who is leading the caretaker administration, said, “I am announcing to the citizens of the country that the election will be held on any day in the first half of April 2026.”
Yunus made the announcement during a televised address to the nation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
“After reviewing the ongoing reforms related to justice, governance, and the electoral process, I am announcing to the nation today that the next national election will be held on any day in the first half of April 2026,” Yunus said. He added that the election commission will soon present a detailed election roadmap.
According to the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Yunus reiterated that the government had previously indicated the elections would be held between December 2025 and June 2026. "We are taking every necessary measure to ensure the country is ready to hold free and credible elections during this window,” he said.
The 84-year-old caretaker leader acknowledged widespread anticipation over the poll date, emphasising that Bangladesh’s political crises since independence have often stemmed from flawed elections. “Through repeated manipulation of elections, a political party turned into a fascist regime. Those who orchestrated those sham elections were branded as criminals by the people. The regimes that emerged from them were ultimately rejected by the public,” Yunus said.
He stressed that the government's primary responsibility is to ensure the upcoming elections are "clean, festive, peaceful, and widely participatory," so the nation does not fall into yet another cycle of crisis. “Institutional reform is key. If we fail to ensure good governance in institutions tied to the electoral process, all the sacrifices made by our students and citizens will be in vain,” he warned.
Yunus said his administration operates on three key mandates: reform, justice, and elections. “I believe we will reach significant milestones in justice and institutional reform by Eid al-Fitr,” he said, citing visible progress in the prosecution of crimes against humanity, particularly those committed during the July uprising.
He also expressed confidence in holding “the most free, fair, competitive, and credible election in the country’s history,” adding, “We want an election that honors the martyrs of the uprising and brings peace to their souls.”
Yunus emphasised the importance of maximum participation: “We want the largest number of voters, candidates, and parties in this election. Let it be remembered as the most impartial election in Bangladesh’s history. After more than a century and a half, a truly representative parliament will be formed, and millions of young people will vote for the first time.”
Calling on citizens to engage proactively, Yunus urged voters to seek firm commitments from all political parties and candidates: that they will uphold the reform agenda agreed upon by consensus in the next parliament; protect Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty, and dignity; and never compromise the people’s democratic rights.
He also called for pledges of clean governance: “Ask them to promise they will lead with honesty and transparency, rejecting corruption, partisanship, extortion, syndicates, and any form of anti-people activity.”
Yunus concluded by framing the upcoming election as more than a political event: “This is not just a vote — it’s a chance to build a New Bangladesh. While familiar parties and symbols will appear on the ballot, it is up to the people to choose candidates truly committed to your hopes and your future.”