Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's turbulent interim government, has announced in a televised Eid-ul-Fitr address that voting for the first national elections will take place in the first half of April.
"After reviewing the ongoing reforms in justice, governance and the electoral process, I am announcing today that the next national election will be held in the first half of April 2026," he said in a televised address to the nation in the evening.
He added that the Election Commission would set out a detailed plan for the elections in due course.
This will be the first national election in the country after former Sheikh Hasina's exit (to India) in August due to pressure from insurgent protests.
What began in July 2024 as student protests against public sector job quotas quickly morphed into one of the deadliest periods of political violence in the country, since its independence in 1971.
This paved the way for an interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Speaking about the need for Bangladesh to return to electoral democracy, he urged for a free, fair and impartial election.
The Chief Adviser is currently embroiled in a stalemate with the heads of the three armed forces that threatens his incumbency in government.
On May 21 this year, Bangladesh’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman had publicly urged that national elections be held by December this year, warning that prolonged usage of the army for civil duties could compromise the country’s defence, as per an Al Jazeera report.
General Waker's idea of conducting the elections as soon as possible directly clashed with Yunus' idea of holding elections no earlier than mid-2026, to allow for political and electoral reforms in a country gripped by tumult, in order to ensure a fair election.
The intensifying power struggle has continued despite Yunus' open expression of interest in staying on—a response to rumours stating that he was looking to exit his role.
