Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced that the country’s next national election will be held in the first half of April 2026. Delivering a nationally televised address on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, Muhammad Yunus said the Election Commission would soon unveil a detailed roadmap. He said, “The interim government assumed office with three core mandates: reform, justice, and elections."

‘Most Free, Fair, Competitive Election’

Muhammad Yunus said the government had consulted with all political parties to ensure that the upcoming election would be the “most free, fair, competitive, and acceptable in the country’s history." He stressed that the goal was to create a process that would “satisfy the souls of the martyrs" of the uprising and be remembered by the nation for its integrity.

The announcement ends months of speculation and political wrangling over election timing. Muhammad Yunus had earlier suggested elections could be held anytime between December 2025 and June 2026 depending on the pace of reforms.

Mixed Political Reactions and Military Pushback

Opposition parties like the BNP and its allies had been pressing for elections by December 2025, while the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) called for elections only after reforms are completed. Muhammad Yunus, however, said that he remains focused on sequencing reform before polls.

“The coming months will be crucial for finalising frameworks of justice and reform that can carry broad political consensus," he said in his address.

The April 2026 date, he added, is chosen with a view to balancing the need for legitimate, inclusive elections with the imperative of rebuilding public trust through credible institutional reform.

Source: News18