Bangladesh to hold elections in late 2025 or early 2026: Muhammad Yunus

Dhaka: Bangladesh is planning to hold its parliamentary elections by late 2025 or the first half of 2026, according to the country's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, who announced during a televised address on Monday.

Yunus provided an update on the election roadmap, stating that the timeline for the elections would be determined by the recommendations of the Electoral Reform Commission. However, he assured that elections could be held by the end of 2025 if political consensus and minimal reforms, including an accurate voter list, are achieved.

In his speech on Victory Day, Yunus emphasized the need for sufficient time to implement the commission's recommendations and improve the electoral process. He highlighted the possibility of holding the elections by late 2025 if the voter list is prepared in time. However, he also mentioned that if broader electoral reforms were considered, the elections would likely take place in the first half of 2026.

Yunus acknowledged the challenges posed by the current voter list, which has not been verified for over 15 years, and noted that voters had not participated in the last three elections. This makes the task of conducting the upcoming election even more complex, he said, as reported by The Daily Star.