Bangladesh Awami League Rejects Feb 2026 Election, Calls for Neutral Caretaker Government
Party accuses interim Yunus-led administration of bias, calls for lifting restrictions and release of political prisoners
Bangladesh, Dec 12 : The Bangladesh Awami League on Thursday outright rejected the national election schedule announced by the interim government’s Election Commission, slated for February 12, 2026, calling the move “illegal” and accusing the Muhammad Yunus-led administration of being a “killer-fascist clique” incapable of ensuring a free and fair vote.
In a strongly worded statement, the party said it had “closely reviewed the election schedule announced by the illegal, occupying, killer fascist Yunus clique’s illegal Election Commission” and stressed that the current government is entirely biased, making it impossible to hold elections reflecting transparency, neutrality, or the people’s will.
“The Awami League is an election-oriented party with the strength, courage, and capacity to stand before the people,” the statement read. The party highlighted its legacy, noting participation in 13 national elections, winning nine, and repeatedly forming the government under Sheikh Hasina.
The Awami League warned that holding elections without its participation would be “a scheme to push the country and the nation into a deep crisis.” It demanded:
Immediate lifting of all restrictions on the party,
Withdrawal of “fabricated cases” against Sheikh Hasina and other leaders,
Unconditional release of all political prisoners, and
Replacement of the current interim government with a neutral caretaker administration before any polls.
“Attempting to hold an election while excluding the Awami League—along with other major parties and the majority of the population is a scheme to push the country into a deep crisis,” the party statement added.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin announced that the February 12, 2026 election will be the first national poll since the student-led uprising that removed former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The election will also feature a national referendum on the ‘July Charter’, proposing reforms to curb executive powers and strengthen judicial independence. Voting will be held for all 300 parliamentary seats simultaneously, marking Bangladesh’s first-ever twin polls.
Candidates can file nominations from December 29, 2025, with campaigns running from January 22, 2026, until 48 hours before the election. The upcoming contest is expected to primarily feature the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and Jamaat-e-Islami, alongside the newly formed National Citizens Party (NCP) that led the uprising against Sheikh Hasina.
