Dhaka, Aug 9: Bangladesh’s poll body chief on Saturday said general elections would be held in the first week of February 2026 but ensuring it in a free, fair and impartial manner remained a major challenge.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, however, said the exact date would be disclosed two months before the schedule was announced.
“People have lost confidence in the election system, the Election Commission and the administrative machinery involved in the electoral process,” state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) quoted Uddin as saying at a function in northwestern Rangpur district.
Uddin said his office, however, was “working tirelessly to restore this lost trust.” The CEC’s comments come four days after interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced that the polls would be held in February next year. Yunus had made the announcement coinciding with the first anniversary of the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime on August 5.
The February 2026 polls would be the 13th Parliamentary elections.
The CEC feared that there was a growing apathy among voters as “over the years, people have become disengaged from the voting process” but added “as long as the Election Commission remains conscious of its responsibilities, all actions will strictly follow the rules, regulations and laws.” Contrary to civic and rights groups’ concerns over the law and order situation in the country, Uddin said, “the law and order is currently stable and we aim to make it even better so that citizens can vote peacefully and without fear.” (PTI)
