Dhaka: Bangladesh will hold national elections in April 2026. The announcement was made by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, following immense pressure from the political parties in the country.
The elections have been announced following the uncertainty that gripped Bangladesh post the deposition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The chief of the Awami League was forced to leave Bangladesh, following a mass uprising against her government, led mostly by students. Following her ouster Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the head of the interim government in the country.
Muhammad Yunus under pressure to hold polls
Muhammad Yunus has been under immense pressure to hold polls in the country at the earliest. Some time back, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party held protests against the interim government and demanded that the polls be held in the country. Not only that he had also been warned by the General Waker-Uz-Zaman on this matter.
Overtime the Bangladeshi public has started to feel alienated and felt that Yunus was not able to handle the country’s affairs properly. They complained that there had been a rise in violence, theft and anti-minority incidents in the country, under his leadership.
The BNP wanted “a clear roadmap for elections”. The announcement follows months of protest from the political parties of the country. BNP sees the upcoming polls as an opportunity to return to power, as Hasina’s Awami League has been banned from contesting the polls.
It was believed that had elections not been announced now, the country would have once again plunged into chaos. It might have so happened that youth would have once again taken to the streets to protest against the Yunus government.
