Bangladesh to hold general election, July Charter referendum on February 12

Bangladesh will hold its 13th national election on February 12, 2026, A.M.M. Nasir Uddin, the Chief Election Commissioner of Bangladesh, announced on Thursday (December 11, 2025).

Announcing the poll schedule, which will be the country’s second election in 26 months, Mr. Nasir Uddin also declared that a referendum on the July Charter– a set of principles aimed at amending the Constitution of Bangladesh – will be held on the same day.

The announcement of the election schedule concludes the process that began when Prof. Mohammed Yunus, on the first anniversary of the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2025, stated that Bangladesh would hold an election in the first half of February 2026. However, the future of Bangladesh’s political trajectory will also be shaped by the upcoming referendum on the July Charter, that was adopted last October after being signed by the National Consensus Commission and at least 25 political parties. The July Charter aims to incorporate several changes to the 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh that will significantly alter the distribution of political power in the country.

Prof. Yunus has welcomed the announcement of the poll schedule. “With the announcement of this schedule, Bangladesh’s democratic journey has crossed a significant milestone. Following the historic popular uprising, the country is moving forward on a new path — this election and referendum will reinforce that trajectory, uphold the will of the people, and further consolidate the foundation of a new Bangladesh,” Prof. Yunus said on Thursday.

There had been uncertainties surrounding the announcement of poll schedule as several political parties wanted the referendum to be held before the poll. However, the interim administration favoured holding both the election and the referendum on the same day.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which had earlier supported holding the referendum before the election, has welcomed the poll schedule announcement. “There were uncertainties over the polls, but the announcement of the schedule has reassured us,” said Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, Jamaat’s central media and publicity division head, at a press conference in Dhaka. Jamaat-e-Islami has claimed that Bangladesh has not provided a “level playing field” to all political parties and has called on the Election Commission to ensure equal opportunities for all contestants in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who assumed the largely ceremonial position during the Hasina era, has said that he plans to step down after the February national election, stating that the Yunus administration has “sidelined and humiliated” him. In an interview with Reuters, President Shahabuddin said he will resign midway through his tenure, as his voice has been “stifled” by the interim government.

If the July Charter is approved in the February 12 referendum, the powers of the Bangladeshi presidency will be expanded, while some of the Prime Minister’s powers will be curtailed. One of the goals of Prof. Yunus-led interim government is to introduce checks and balances on the office of the Prime Minister to prevent political excesses in the future.

Bangladesh’s last election was held in January 2024 and was boycotted by the principal opposition party, the BNP, which accused the Awami League of rigging the poll. The Awami League is not expected to participate in the upcoming election, as it remains banned.