As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.
Addressing the nation of over 170 million people ahead of the closely watched electoral exercises, Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Yunus stated that both victory and defeat are integral parts of democracy and that, after the election, all stakeholders should work together to build a new, just, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh. The Chief Adviser of the caretaker government also called upon voters to participate enthusiastically and in a festive spirit. Prof. Yunus made a special appeal to women and young voters, many of whom were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their franchise on earlier occasions, to come forward and demonstrate their commitment to a new beginning.
Campaigning, which began on 22 January, concluded on 10 February at 7:30 pm. Electoral authorities have imposed a ban on all public rallies and processions for 96 hours before and after polling day. Voting on Thursday will take place from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Nearly 400 foreign election observers, along with around 200 journalists representing 45 global media outlets, have arrived in the South Asian nation. In contrast, during the 12th parliamentary elections held on 7 January 2024, only 158 international observers, including a limited number of foreign media representatives, were present. A two-day government-declared general holiday began on 11 February, while Friday and Saturday (13 and 14 February) are regular weekly holidays in Bangladesh.
Notably, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from participating in the electoral process, leaving its principal rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with significant political space in the contest. Although the last general election was held in January 2024, the overthrow of Hasina’s government following a student-led mass uprising six months later necessitated fresh polls. The interim government in Dhaka invited several countries — including India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, and Romania — to send election observers. International bodies such as the European Union, Commonwealth Secretariat, SAARC Human Rights Foundation, Asian Network for Free Elections, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, SNAS Africa, Polish Institute of International Affairs, and the US-based International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute have also agreed to deploy observers.
Meanwhile, the New York-based press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged major Bangladeshi political parties to safeguard press freedom in the country. In a statement issued ahead of the national election, CPJ called for urgent steps to ensure journalists’ safety. It sent separate letters to office-bearers of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, the student-led National Citizen Party, and the Jatiya Party, urging them to make public commitments to protect journalists during the election period by rejecting violence, intimidation, and the misuse of criminal or national-security laws. The Awami League, as noted, is barred from contesting the election.
CPJ stated that risks to journalists had intensified in the pre-election period, citing the continued imprisonment of media personnel on what it described as unverified charges, along with longstanding impunity for violence against journalists that has contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship. In its letter to BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, CPJ emphasized that a free press is essential to the credibility of any election, as journalists play a critical role in informing voters, scrutinizing those in power, and enabling meaningful public debate. It added that the BNP could strengthen public trust in the electoral process by committing to this democratic principle. CPJ further noted that Bangladesh remains among Asia’s leading jailers of journalists, with five currently detained on murder and national-security charges that, according to the organization, appear to be in retaliation for their reporting and perceived political affiliations. It also highlighted persistent impunity in cases of journalist killings and attacks, stating that threats and violence against media professionals are rarely investigated or prosecuted.
CPJ’s Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator, Kunal Majumder, told this writer that risks to Bangladeshi journalists escalated sharply in the pre-election period. He referred to mob attacks on the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo in December 2025, as well as intensified digital harassment, coordinated hate campaigns, and politically polarized threats targeting reporters, editors, and commentators. “This form of abuse was enabled by the previous Hasina government to intimidate journalists and remains prevalent, despite a change in administration and promises of media reforms,” Majumder said, adding that meaningful reform requires breaking from past practices rather than replicating them. He also called for removing barriers to access to official information, press briefings, and public records to ensure fair and accurate election coverage.
Earlier, the Geneva-based media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemned the murder of Bengali Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (45) in the Jessore locality on 5 January and demanded a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Additionally, at least 12 Bangladeshi journalists were injured in an attack by alleged extortionists in Narsingdi on 26 January. Condemning the incident, PEC Chairman Blaise Lempen urged the authorities in Dhaka to ensure accountability. The Bangladesh Editors’ Council also called upon authorities to guarantee the safety and security of journalists during the election period, stating that working journalists often face threats while gathering information during elections and that the interim government, Election Commission, and law enforcement agencies must take effective measures to ensure adequate protection.
Meanwhile, several Western media outlets have reported that the BNP-led alliance is considered a front-runner in the election, with Chairman Tarique Rahman projected in some analyses as a potential next Prime Minister. When Rahman returned to Bangladesh on 25 December after ending a 17-year self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, he received a large public reception. The son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia addressed supporters with the phrase “I have a plan,” drawing comparisons in some commentary to Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female head of government, passed away on 30 December at the age of 80. The government declared three days of state mourning.
The US-based news magazine The Diplomat recently published an analytical article assessing Rahman’s electoral prospects. Similarly, Time magazine and Bloomberg, citing opinion surveys, have described him as a leading contender ahead of the polls. Earlier, the UK-based weekly The Economist also suggested that the 60-year-old political leader could emerge as head of government in Dhaka. In campaign rallies, Rahman has pledged to prioritize job creation, technical education, information technology, and sports development. He has also emphasized building a Bangladesh founded on mutual trust, respect, rule of law, and freedom of speech.
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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati
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