Bangladesh Begins Historic Post-Hasina Election Campaign

Bangladesh has officially launched campaigning for its general elections on February 12, the first national vote since the dramatic 2024 uprising that toppled longtime leader Sheikh Hasina. The South Asian country of 170 million people will elect 350 lawmakers in what European Union observers describe as the “biggest democratic process of 2026.” The polls follow months of political upheaval, with mass protests forcing Hasina to flee to India, ending her autocratic rule and reshaping the nation’s power structure.

Major parties are mobilizing supporters for large-scale rallies amid heightened security concerns, including the recent murder of a prominent student protest leader. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, kicked off its campaign in Sylhet, a city steeped in Sufi tradition. Rahman, who returned from 17 years in exile in December following his mother Khaleda Zia’s death, prayed at the historic Shah Jalal shrine before addressing crowds. His nationwide roadshow promises massive gatherings as the BNP positions itself as the leading contender for power.

Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, began its campaign in Dhaka, led by Shafiqur Rahman. After years of bans and crackdowns under Hasina, the group—aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood—has regained momentum with the release of key leaders. The newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), backed by student uprising leaders and allied with Jamaat, also launched rallies in the capital. These developments highlight the growing assertiveness of Islamist and youth-driven forces in the post-Hasina landscape.

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Caretaker Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel laureate who assumed leadership in August 2024, will step down after the elections. Yunus has pushed a comprehensive reform charter to rebuild checks and balances across government branches, with a simultaneous referendum asking voters to approve the changes. In a recent address, he urged citizens to vote “yes” to open the path to a “new Bangladesh,” warning that rejecting reforms could allow authoritarianism to return.

The election atmosphere is clouded by widespread online disinformation, which Yunus has described as a “flood” of fake news, rumours, and speculation from both local and foreign sources. Relations with India remain strained after Hasina’s escape to New Delhi, where she was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity linked to the violent suppression of protests. As Bangladesh navigates this pivotal transition, the February vote will test the country’s commitment to democratic renewal.

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