Bangladesh braces for 12 Feb. polls as tension soars ahead of vote

Bangladesh has announced that national parliamentary elections will be held on 12 February, 2026, a date that crystallises a fraught transition nearly a year after last year's mass uprising and the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Khaleda Zia

The interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus - which has moved to bar the Awami League from contesting while pursuing wideranging political and legal reforms says the vote is a step toward restoring democratic normalcy. Critics and human-rights groups, however, warn the bans and recent trials have cast doubt on whether the poll can be free and inclusive.

The election timetable was released as parties began filing nominations; the campaign season, already marred by a fresh spurt of violence, has raised alarm among voters and media. Newspapers and local observers report shootings, targeted attacks on activists and clashes between rival supporters in several districts - incidents that Opposition leaders say indicate a dangerous slide toward intimidation ahead of the ballot.