Bangladesh is gearing up for its first general election on February 12 It will be the first since a student-led uprising ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, marking a major shift in the country’s political landscape.
Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chant slogans as they attend an election campaign in Dhaka, Bangladesh (Reuters)About 1,700 candidates from more than 50 political parties, including independents, are contesting 300 parliamentary seats. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, however, has been banned from participating in the elections. General elections will be held alongside July’s national charter referendum.
BNP is giving the most candidatesThe Bangladesh Nationalist Party is said to have fielded the highest number of candidates, 288, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami with 224 candidates. According to Dhaka Tribune, Islami Andolan Bangladesh has nominated 253 candidates, Jatiya Party 192 candidates and Gana Adhikar Parishad 90 candidates.
D The Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Tariq Rahman has emerged as the main contender in the polls. Rahman is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died last month. Rahman’s main challenger in the February polls is the Islami Dal, a coalition of 11 allied parties led by Jamaat-e-Islami.
The BNP’s participation in the 2026 elections comes after the party boycotted the 2024 elections over allegations of vote rigging in favor of Hasina and the Awami League. BNP boycotted the 2014 elections but participated in the 2018 elections.
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Awami League candidates are taking a separate path amid the banThe former ruling party of Bangladesh The Awami League remains banned from electoral politics for months after being ousted from power on August 5, 2024. Due to security concerns, in May 2025, the interim government temporarily banned the party’s activities pending the conclusion of the International Criminal Tribunal case against the party and its leaders.
The Election Commission has also suspended the party’s registration. In November 2025, the tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia for crimes against humanity.
Despite the ban, Bangladeshi journalist Muktadir Rashid said the Awami League could still influence elections by supporting independent candidates. While the party itself may not formally participate, its leaders and supporters are said to be exploring ways to remain politically active through unaffiliated candidates, PTI reported, citing Rashid.
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main candidateActing Chairman of BNP Tariq Rahman has submitted his nomination for Dhaka-17 constituency at the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner’s office in Segunbagicha. Rahman returned to Dhaka on December 25 after spending 17 years in exile. Besides, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has submitted nomination papers from Thakurgaon-1 constituency.
Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned during Hasina’s tenure, re-emerged after the mass awakening. Senior leaders have submitted the nomination of party chief Shafiqur Rahman for Dhaka-15 constituency and general secretary and former MP Mia Golam Parwar has submitted nomination from Khulna-5. Jamaat-backed candidate Krishna Nandi has also submitted nomination from Khulna-1 seat.
GM Quader-led Jatiya Party is also contesting the election. Kader has filed nomination from Rangpur-3, Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwari is contesting from Gaibandha-1 and Gaibandha-5.
The elections will be held under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Although authorities have promised a free and peaceful vote, concerns remain over recent attacks on media organizations and sporadic incidents of violence.
More than 127 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots and around 500 foreign observers, including those from the European Union and the Commonwealth, are expected to watch the election, ANI reported quoting the Election Commission.
Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the interim government, described the dual exercise as a “grand festival” and said it would be the most free, fair and peaceful vote in the country’s history, laying the foundation for what he called a “new Bangladesh”.
