‘Elections before Ramadan’: Muhammad Yunus announces Bangladesh polls for February 2026

Muhammad Yunus

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has formally asked the Election Commission to complete preparations for holding the national parliamentary elections ahead of Ramadan in February 2026.

He announced this during a televised address on BTV and radio, marking the first anniversary of the mass uprising that led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In the same speech, delivered on August 5, Yunus indicated that a formal letter would follow.

The letter, addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner on Wednesday, was signed by Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, M Siraj Uddin Miah. It urged the Commission to begin the necessary processes to ensure a free, fair, peaceful, and festive national election within the specified timeframe.

"We will all begin mental preparation and institutional arrangements from tomorrow to complete all arrangements so that this year's election is memorable in the country's history in terms of joy and celebration, peace and order, voter turnout, and cordiality," he added.

Yunus urged political parties to ensure that youth and women are not excluded from their manifestos or future governance plans. "Remember, the youth who have changed Bangladesh have the power to change the world as well," he said.

Referring to the Chief Adviser’s address, the letter highlights his call for the prompt initiation of all essential institutional and logistical arrangements.

Emphasizing that the people have been denied their voting rights for the past 15 years, Yunus stressed the importance of ensuring that the upcoming election becomes a vibrant celebration of democracy, a day marked by joy and lasting significance for all citizens.