Bangladesh’s interim government head, Muhammad Yunus, announced that national elections will likely be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026. Yunus emphasized that the timeline depends on the completion of necessary electoral reforms and a political consensus.

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• Bangladesh’s next national election is expected between late 2025 and mid-2026.
• Interim government head Muhammad Yunus made the announcement in a televised address.
• Yunus stressed that the delay is due to the need for electoral reforms and a political consensus.
• Yunus, appointed after a student-led revolution ousted former Prime Minister Hasina, faces pressure to set an election date.
• He suggested the election might occur sooner if reforms are minor and the voter list is prepared accurately.
• The caretaker government is working to restore democratic institutions after Hasina’s 15-year rule.
• Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after widespread protests and unrest in Dhaka.
• Yunus described the challenge of restoring democracy as “extremely tough.”
• Hasina’s government was accused of politicizing the judiciary and civil service, and staging unfair elections.
• The former prime minister’s tenure was marked by human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings of opponents.