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Key insights
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High-stakes transition vote: The election is framed as the first national test of Bangladesh’s political order after Hasina’s removal in the 2024 uprising.
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Interim government promises: Interim leader Muhammad Yunus has pledged a free and fair election.
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Reforms on the ballot: Voters will elect 350 lawmakers and decide on proposed political reforms.
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What happened
Campaigning began on Thursday as major political parties held rallies in Dhaka ahead of Bangladesh’s February 12 national election, the first since the 2024 uprising that ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has pledged to hold a free and fair vote. The election will choose 350 lawmakers and decide on proposed political reforms. European Union election observers described it as the “biggest democratic process of 2026.”