Bangladesh Post-Hasina General Elections Campaign

Bangladesh has begun official campaigning for its general elections, scheduled for February 12, 2026. This marks the first election since the 2024 uprising that ended the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia and remains in hiding in India. Key frontrunner Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh — Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) launched his campaign in Sylhet, drawing large crowds. The largest Islamist party, Pakistan — Jamaat-e-Islami, also began its campaign in Dhaka, seeking a return to formal politics after years of bans. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate leading a caretaker government, will step down after the polls and has championed a reform charter to prevent a return to authoritarian rule. The elections are expected to usher in new leadership and reshape domestic and regional power dynamics, though concerns about insecurity and online disinformation persist.