Bangladesh Elections Set for Early April 2026, Says Interim PM Yunus

• Yunus is not affiliated with any political party and has ruled out running for office.
• The government is facing protests over wage issues and the dismissal of public servants.
• The BNP is calling for early elections, warning of rising public anger.

Bangladesh is set to conduct a national election in the first half of April 2026, as announced by its acting prime minister on Friday. This announcement follows a period of an interim, unelected government that began after student-led unrest led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.

Since August, former Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been at the helm of the South Asian nation, which is home to 173 million people, after Hasina fled to India amidst violent protests against her administration.

However, Yunus’ government has also encountered significant unrest, with protests erupting last month over wage disputes and the dismissal of civil servants without extensive procedures.

“After assessing the ongoing reform initiatives, I am informing the public today that the next national election will take place at any moment during the first half of April 2026,” Yunus stated during a national address on Friday.

The election commission is expected to release a comprehensive plan for the election at a suitable time. Yunus, who is not aligned with any political party, has expressed disinterest in running for office.

Opposition groups, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been advocating for early elections, warning of escalating turmoil and “increasing dissatisfaction among the populace” if elections are not held by December.

The BNP leader and former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, was acquitted in January of corruption charges from 2008, clearing a path for her to participate in the upcoming elections.

Additionally, Hasina’s Awami League party was effectively barred from participating in the elections after the election commission suspended its registration last month.

Previously, Yunus’ government prohibited all Awami League activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act, citing threats to national security after several days of protests.

Hasina, credited with significant economic progress but criticized for human rights infringements and cracking down on dissent, secured a fourth consecutive term in 2024, although the vote was boycotted by major opposition leaders, many of whom were either imprisoned or in exile.