Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has announced that the next national parliamentary election will be held on any suitable date in the first half of April 2026. He made the announcement during a televised address to the nation on Friday evening.
The Chief Adviser stated, “After reviewing ongoing reform activities related to justice, governance, and electoral processes, I am announcing to the people of Bangladesh that the next national election will be held on a date within the first half of April 2026. Based on this announcement, the Election Commission will later provide the public with a detailed election roadmap.”
In his address, Yunus highlighted that his caretaker government assumed responsibility with three core mandates: judicial reform, structural reform, and election preparation. He expressed optimism that significant progress in justice and reform would be achieved before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr in 2026—especially concerning the trials of crimes against humanity, including justice for the victims of the July Uprising.
The Chief Adviser also said that a “July Charter” is being prepared in consultation with all political parties and is expected to be unveiled in July this year. The charter aims to serve as a unified commitment from political parties to key reform proposals made by the Reform Commission.
“July Charter is a pledge,” Yunus stated. “It will include a list of reform proposals that have received consensus among political parties. By signing this charter, political leaders will commit to implementing these reforms in front of the nation.”
He further added, “We are committed to carrying out the immediate reforms identified in the July Charter. As for the remaining reforms, we intend to initiate several of them and hope that the elected government will continue the implementation process.”
The announcement marks a significant step toward restoring democratic governance following a period of political transition, and it sets the stage for a broadly inclusive electoral process in Bangladesh.
