Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday said he will ask the Election Commission to organise the general polls in February next year.
He announced the possible month of hosting the election on a day when Bangladesh was observing the first anniversary of former PM Sheikh Hasina’s exit from the country amid severe protests against her government over a job quota row, now known as the July-August uprising.
“Now it is time for us to fulfil our final duty: holding the election. Following this address on this momentous day, we will enter the final and most important chapter of our responsibility. We will begin the process of handing over power to an elected government,” Muhammad Yunus was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune.
“I ask all of you to pray that the election is held smoothly, so that all citizens of this country can move forward successfully in building a new Bangladesh. On behalf of the government, we will provide all necessary support to ensure that the election is fair, peaceful and festive,” he said.
“From tomorrow, we will begin our mental and institutional preparations to ensure that this election becomes memorable in the nation’s history, for its joyous spirit, for peace and order, for voter turnout, and for the atmosphere of harmony and sincerity,” Yunus said.
After the Awami League was removed from power, the political outfit, led by Hasina, has been banned from contesting polls.
In a statement issued by Hasina on August 5, 2025, she criticised the current interim government and said: “One year ago today, our nation witnessed the violent interruption of our hard-fought democracy, as an unelected regime seized power through unconstitutional means. It was a dark moment in our history, an affront to the will of the people, and a betrayal of the trust between citizens and the state.”
She said: “While they may have taken power, they will never take away our spirit, our resolve, or our destiny. I can assure you of that.”
She further said: “Let this anniversary not be a day of retrospection, but a rallying cry for a brighter tomorrow. Bangladesh has overcome adversity before, and we will rise again, stronger, more united, and more determined to build a democracy that truly serves its people.”
