Bangladesh may hold general elections by 2025-end amidst emphasis on the need for sweeping reforms

By Nava Thakuria*

Indications from Bangladesh suggest that the country may hold national elections by the end of this year—provided major political parties agree to minimal reforms in administrative, financial, and electoral institutions. The reforms would come with assurances that the winning representatives in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Assembly/Parliament) will continue the reform process in the South Asian nation.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, who assumed leadership of an interim government in Dhaka after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a student-led mass movement in July-August 2024, has repeatedly emphasized the need for sweeping reforms. These include overhauling the civil and police administration, anti-corruption bodies, financial institutions, and the judicial and electoral systems to steer the Muslim-majority nation toward stability. The caretaker government head has already instructed authorities to prepare for general elections by December 2025. The 12th Parliamentary elections, held on 7 January 2024, were unilaterally won by Hasina’s Awami League.

So far, over 20 political parties—including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP)—have submitted their opinions to the National Consensus Commission. Headed by Prof. Yunus, the commission plans to engage with other parties in the coming days. It has sent recommendations drawn from five reform commissions (constitutional, public administration, electoral, judiciary, and administrative reforms) to nearly 35 political parties for feedback. Notably, Hasina’s Awami League remains absent from the discussions, and it remains uncertain whether the party will be permitted to participate in the polls.

However, Prof. Yunus recently stated publicly that the interim government has no plans to ban the Awami League, which ruled Bangladesh for three consecutive terms (2009–2024). He clarified that individuals within the party—including Hasina—accused of mass crimes would still face trial. Many leaders of the July-August 2024 revolution have criticized Yunus for his perceived leniency toward the Awami League. Some allege that Bangladesh’s Army Chief, Waker Uz Zaman, is advocating for the party’s participation in the elections, calling it a conspiracy to rehabilitate a "refined" Awami League and potentially facilitate Hasina’s return from exile in India. The military has denied these claims, asserting neutrality in political matters.

NCP convener Nahid Islam has demanded a ban on the Awami League, calling it a "fascist party" and a "terrorist outfit" unfit for politics. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman also warned that any attempt to reintegrate Hasina and her party would face fierce public resistance.

Meanwhile, Prof. Yunus, Bangladesh’s sole Nobel laureate, seeks a one-on-one meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the upcoming BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok (2–4 April). His administration has formally requested a bilateral discussion, but India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated the proposal is "under consideration." Political observers, however, deem the meeting unlikely, citing strained India-Bangladesh relations—partly due to Hasina’s continued exile in India—as a potential deterrent.

---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov, the artist who survived Stalin's cultural purges

By Harsh Thakor* Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov (September 14, 1885 – April 20, 1964) was a Soviet artist, professor, academician, and teacher. His work was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize, the highest artistic honour of the USSR. His paintings traced the development of socialist realism in the visual arts while retaining qualities drawn from impressionism. Gerasimov reconciled a lyrical approach to nature with the demands of Soviet socialist ideology.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Development at what cost? The budget's blind spot for the environment

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The historical ills in the relationship between capital and the environment have now manifested in areas commonly referred to as the "environmental crisis." This includes global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, the devastation of tropical forests, mass mortality of fish, species extinction, loss of biodiversity, poison seeping into the atmosphere and food, desertification, shrinking water supplies, lack of clean water, and radioactive pollution.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

Search This Blog