Bangladesh to hold 2026 elections before Ramadan, Muhammad Yunus announces

Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has announced that the country’s general elections will be held in February 2026—earlier than previously planned—so they can be completed before the holy month of Ramadan. The declaration came during a nationally televised address marking one year since the mass uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.

"On behalf of the interim government, I will request the Election Commission to organise elections in February 2026, before Ramadan," Yunus said. His earlier statement had indicated an April timeline, but consultations with major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led to the revised date.

Yunus also appealed to political parties to ensure youth and women are central to their agendas. He emphasized that the youth, who powered the 2024 uprising, must shape the country’s democratic future. "We will begin mental preparation and institutional arrangements from tomorrow," he said, aiming to make the election a peaceful and historic milestone.

Alongside the announcement, the interim government released the “July Declaration,” a 26-point reform charter calling for a new constitution and condemning Hasina’s regime as autocratic. The document, presented at the Parliament Complex, urges recognition of the 2024 uprising and calls for a people-driven governance framework. Tight security was observed as crowds gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of Hasina’s ouster.