Bangladesh will go to the polls on February 12, 2026, in what many observers are calling one of the most important elections the country has seen in years. The Election Commission announced the date on Thursday, confirming that both the national election and a referendum on the “July Charter” will be held on the same day. This will be the country’s first-ever twin polls.
This election carries special significance as it will be the first national vote since the major student-led movement of July 2024, which led to the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She stepped down after weeks of unrest and later left for India in August 2024. Since then, an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been guiding the nation through a sensitive political phase.
The referendum on the July Charter will be held along with the parliamentary election. The charter proposes major changes to the country’s governance structure, including reducing the powers of the executive, strengthening the judiciary, and bringing reforms to several key state institutions. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, in a televised statement, described the coming election as a turning point for Bangladesh’s political future. 
As per the schedule, candidates will file their nominations on December 29, 2025. Election campaigning will start on January 22, 2026, and will continue until two days before voting. The Election Commission has also extended polling hours, with booths set to open from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, allowing voters time to cast both their ballots and their referendum votes. Around 42,000 polling centres and more than 2,44,000 booths will be used to serve nearly 127.6 million eligible voters.
In line with efforts to reduce environmental impact, the Commission has imposed a complete ban on the use of posters during campaigning. Another new feature is the “no vote” option, which will be available in constituencies where only one candidate is contesting. This is intended to give voters a way to express dissent.
Bangladeshi citizens living abroad will also take part in the election through a new online registration system that will allow postal voting. Close to three lakh overseas voters have already registered. Their ballots will contain only party symbols or symbols of independent candidates, and their votes must reach returning officers before polls close.
