Bangladesh Election

Bangladesh's ex-PM Khaleda critical, exiled son uncertain of return

Her party has regained prominence after Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's long-serving former prime minister, was ousted in a student-led uprising last year

Bangladesh's ex-PM Hasina's party announces nationwide protests till Nov 30

Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party on Tuesday announced nationwide agitations and "resistance marches" till November 30 in protest against the death sentence handed to the former premier by what it described as an "illegal" tribunal. On November 17, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) sentenced 78-year-old Hasina to death along with then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on charges of committing crimes against humanity after a trial held in absentia. Hasina is currently in India, while Kamal is also believed to be hiding in the country. In a post on its official social media account, the Awami League alleged that the tribunal's verdict was part of a political "conspiracy" by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to keep Hasina and the party "out of the election" scheduled for February next year. Rejecting the "illegal verdict of the illegal ICT tribunal" and demanding the resignation of Yunus, the party announced protests, ...

Bangladesh needs reform, not old executioners and political vengeance

Elections are due in February - and whoever wins will have a mandate tainted by violence and weakened by the enforced absence of the League

Democracy key condition for my return to Bangladesh, says Sheikh Hasina

Ousted former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said her return home hinges on the restoration of "participatory democracy", lifting of the ban on the Awami League and the conduct of free, fair and inclusive elections. In an exclusive email interview to PTI from an undisclosed location in India, Hasina also accused the unelected Yunus administration of "endangering ties with India and empowering extremist forces". Contrasting her foreign policy with that of the current interim government, she said the broad and deep relationship between Dhaka and New Delhi should be able to withstand the "foolhardiness of the Yunus interlude. Hasina thanked the Indian government for providing her refuge and said she was immensely grateful to India's government and its people for their kind hospitality. The most important condition for my return to Bangladesh is the same condition that the Bangladeshi people require: a return to participatory democracy. The interim administration must resc

Yunus warns of internal, external attempts to thwart Bangladesh polls

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said he feared forces from home and abroad to thwart planned general elections over debarring deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League from contesting. Many forces from inside and outside the country will work to spoil the election. Many powerful forces, not minor ones, will attempt to thwart it. Sudden attacks may come, Yunus's press secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted him as saying at a high-level meeting on election preparedness. Chief Adviser Yunus, he said, told the meeting that the election will be challenging as various types of propaganda will be carried out in a planned manner from inside and outside the country. Yunus said AI-generated images and videos would also circulate online and on social media platforms, stressing immediate action to prevent the spread of such content. We must overcome them (obstacles), 85-year-old Yunus was quoted as saying. His comments coincided with Hasina's interview with

Bangladesh EC bars Sheikh Hasina, her family from voting in 2026 elections

The EC blocked the NIDs of Sheikh Hasina, including 10 members of her family, on February 16, the daily Jugantor reported

Bangladesh EC calls upcoming election 'most risky' in history amid unrest

Bangladesh's Election Commission (EC) on Friday described the national election scheduled for February next year as the "most risky in the country's electoral history, urging officials to brace for unpredictable challenges amid political uncertainty and social unrest. The remarks came a day after it unveiled a roadmap for the election, which has drawn mixed reactions from political parties. "The upcoming general election will undoubtedly be the most risky in Bangladesh's electoral history, Election Commissioner M Anwarul Islam Sarker said at a training programme for election officials, which was also attended by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. "We may have to confront challenges that we do not yet know, he said. Unveiling the roadmap for the general election, Bangladesh's top electoral body had said the poll schedule would be announced at least 60 days before the voting date. Another election commissioner, Abdur Rahmanel Masud, echoed Sarker's concern, saying tha

Interim govt committed to holding polls in Feb 2026: Bangladesh adviser

Bangladesh's interim government is "unwavering" in its commitment to hold general elections in February next year, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has said, according to media reports on Wednesday. "The government is moving forward with all preparations for the election," Nazrul was quoted as saying by the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). "The polls will be held in February, and the government's stance on this remains unwavering," he said after a meeting at the Cabinet Division on Tuesday. The law adviser's comments came amid growing speculation over the elections, following statements by National Citizen Party leaders who dismissed the possibility of polls taking place in February next year without key reforms and the completion of trials initiated by the interim government. Commenting on the issue, Nazrul said that political parties making statements about the timing of the elections is part of the political process. "You have always seen this. Traditionally in Bangladesh, s

Bangladesh to hold next parliamentary polls in February 2026: Yunus

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday announced that the next parliamentary election will be held in February next year. Yunus made the comments during a televised address to the nation on the first anniversary of last year's student-led protest movement, dubbed the "July Uprising", that toppled longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "On behalf of the interim government, I will send a letter to the chief election commissioner requesting that the Election Commission hold the national election in February 2026, before the upcoming Ramzan," Yunus said while addressing the nation. The month of Ramzan is set to begin on February 17 or 18 next year. Earlier, general elections in Bangladesh were scheduled for the first half of April next year.

S&P affirms Bangladesh's sovereign credit rating, warns of US trade risks

S&P Global Ratings affirmed Bangladesh's B+ sovereign rating with a stable outlook, citing improved forex reserves but warning of US tariffs and policy unpredictability

Bangladesh violence: 14 held after deadly clashes in Hasina's stronghold

At least 14 people have been arrested following clashes in Gopalganj, the hometown of Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, that left four dead and prompted a curfew, according to a media report on Thursday. Four people were killed in clashes over a rally organised by the National Citizen Party (NCP) on Wednesday in Gopalganj, which turned into a virtual battlefield as hundreds of supporters of Rahman's daughter and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina clashed with police, ahead of the planned march of the student-led party. According to The Daily Star newspaper, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes. "The joint forces handed over the 14 individuals to us," Abdullah Al Mamun, inspector (investigation) of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station, was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Filing of cases is underway, he added. said. Four extra platoons (nearly 200 soldiers) of the paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were rushed to Gopalganj following the clashe

B'desh imposes curfew, deploys army after violence in Hasina's stronghold

The violence began on July 16 when attackers vandalised a stage set up for a rally organized by the National Citizen Party, a newly formed political group launched by student activists

Bangladesh struggles with unrest fallout after last year's govt ouster

Bangladesh was on the cusp of charting a new beginning last year after its former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in a student-led uprising, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her to flee to India. As the head of a new interim government, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus promised to hold a credible election to return to democracy, initiate electoral and constitutional reforms and restore peace on the streets after hundreds were killed in weeks of violence that began on July 15, 2024. A year later, the Yunus-led administration has struggled to contain the fallout of the uprising. Bangladesh finds itself mired in a growing political uncertainty, religious polarisation and a challenging law-and-order situation. Here's what to know about Bangladesh a year after the protests that toppled Hasina. Chaotic political landscape Uncertainty about the future of democracy looms large in Bangladesh. The student protesters who toppled Hasina formed a new political

Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina formally indicted in crimes against humanity case

Bangladesh's deposed premier Sheikh Hasina was on Thursday formally indicted in a crimes against humanity case by the country's International Crimes Tribunal, media reports said. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ordered a crimes against humanity case against the ousted prime minister, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former inspector general of police Abdullah Al Mamun for their attempts to suppress the July-August student-led protests last year. Mamun has pleaded guilty and petitioned to turn state's witness in the case, according to the bdnews24 news portal. It added that he is the only one of the three to be detained in jail. The trial will proceed with the other two in absentia. Hasina fled to India on August 5 after her Awami League government was toppled last year.

Mob violence was public outrage, not anti-judiciary, says Bangladesh AG

Bangladesh's Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman on Saturday said last year's nationwide mob violence was not manifestation of distrust against judiciary but rather an outburst of public outrage against the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's ousted Awami League regime. Asaduzzaman was speaking at a function organised as part of the series of events coinciding with the first anniversary of the Awami League regime's ouster on August 5 last year after a more than a month-long student-led agitation that had witnessed violence at several places across the country. This (mob violence) is not a reflection of public distrust of the judiciary, rather an expression of anger accumulated in the past 17 years (against the past regime), Asaduzzaman said. The attorney general, however, said such anger is not justified. A leading rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) had last month reported deaths of at least 179 people in mob attacks between August 2024, when the past regime was ousted, an

Tripura needs stronger security due to current situation in Bangladesh: CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday exhorted various agencies to enhance security and surveillance in the state, given the current situation in Bangladesh. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides. Therefore, strengthening of security is needed, the chief minister said after inaugurating the state's first cyber police station here. "We all know the present situation in Bangladesh. There is a need to enhance security arrangements. The northeastern state has been made into a corridor for the smuggling of drugs and narcotic items. Infiltration from across the border is also another problem," he said. "There are reports that a section of people go close to the international border (Indian side) and have conversations with people living on the other side of the international border. The situation may turn ugly once AI-enabled 5G service is available," he said. Referring to the shift from conventional warfare during 'Operation Sindoor', the chief minister said cannons

B'desh interim govt forms committee to probe allegations over last 3 polls

The interim government of Bangladesh has formed a committee to investigate allegations of irregularities, corruption and administrative involvement in the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections and make recommendations on ensuring fair elections in the future, a notification said. The five-member panel led by former high court justice Shamim Hasnain will submit a report by September 30 on allegations that the three elections were manipulated to secure victories for the then-ruling Awami League party by systematically depriving citizens of their voting rights, BD NEWS 24 quoted the cabinet division notification as saying on Thursday. The notification said the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental human rights were reportedly undermined during the elections, which faced widespread criticism both domestically and internationally. It said the committee would analyse reports from election observers, domestic and international monitoring bodies, civil society organisations, and media ..

B'desh Awami League concerned over Starmer's upcoming meeting with Yunus

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is going on a bilateral official visit to the United Kingdom from June 10 to 13, 2025

Yunus acted without consulting parties: Ex-Indian envoy on Bangladesh polls

The former envoy said the neighbouring country must have early elections and that the Bangladesh Army has yet to react to the announcement

Bangladesh SC acquits Jamaat leader on death row for 1971 war crimes

Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted a senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader, overturning his death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a war crimes case related to the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan. ATM Azharul Islam was acquitted by the Appellate Division of the apex court. The full seven-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the verdict, ordering acquittal of Mr ATM Azharul Islam, a state counsel said. He said the court also directed the prison authorities to release Islam from jail immediately if he was not arrested in other cases. There was no higher court in Bangladesh or any international forum to reverse the apex court verdict, the counsel added. The 73-year-old leader of the Islamic party, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, was arrested over charges of committing crimes against humanity during the War. Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death for multiple