Bangladesh’s general election has been scheduled for April 2026, as announced by Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of the country’s caretaker government. A caretaker government was formed in Bangladesh following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. She resigned due to massive protests by university and college students against her government. Nobel laureate Yunus formed a caretaker government in August 2024. After resigning due to student protests, Hasina reportedly fled to India, where she is believed to still be residing.
The main responsibility of Yunus’s government is to establish peace in Bangladesh and pave the way for a general election. However, his government has recently faced public pressure as well. One of the grievances against Yunus’s government is the illegal dismissal of government employees and wage disparities among workers. Many people took to the streets last week to protest these issues.
“After reviewing the ongoing reform work, I announce to everyone that the next general election has been decided to be held in early April 2026,” Yunus said in an address to the nation. He added that the exact date and further details of the election would be officially announced by the country’s election commission. Yunus also expressed his lack of interest in contesting the election.
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is among the parties pushing for an earlier election. The BNP has been warning that if an election is not held before December this year, Bangladesh’s political landscape could heat up, potentially leading to unrest and instability.
Among the candidates expected to contest in the upcoming election is BNP leader and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. However, former Prime Minister Hasina’s Awami League is not expected to be able to contest the election, as the party has been suspended by the election commission under the anti-terrorism law.
