Bangladesh Election 2026 Live Updates: Voting in the country 18 months after Hasina’s ouster, BNP’s Rahman is seen in the lead

Bangladesh Election 2026 Live Updates: Bangladeshis are voting today in a major general election, the first since a mass movement ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure. The election is also being seen as the country’s first real contest since 2009, despite Hasina’s Awami League being barred from contesting the election after its registration was canceled by the Election Commission.

More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in the country with a population of about 170 million. A total of 1,981 candidates are in the fray for Parliament seats across the country. The process is being managed by an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, which has promised free, fair and peaceful elections.

Who are the top contenders?

For years, politics in Bangladesh has centered on two rival families and two powerful women, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Sheikh Hasina led the country for most of this period, but her Awami League has been barred from contesting the current elections. Following the ban, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the leading contender. It has put forward Tariq Rehman, son of former Prime Minister Zia, who died in December, as the main face in the race.

Rahman returned to Bangladesh in December after spending 17 years in self-exile. He has said that he wants to strengthen democratic institutions, revive the rule of law, and revive the economy.

The BNP faces a challenge from the 11-party bloc led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, which wants to expand its role in national politics. It is noteworthy that Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina’s tenure, but after her removal from the post, it has regained its hold. The alliance also includes the recently launched National Citizens Party, formed by Gen Z student leaders associated with the 2024 rebellion.

The world’s first Gen Z-inspired election

Many of the youth who played a role in the 2024 uprising that ousted her government believe the election will be the Muslim-majority country’s first real contest since 2009, the year Hasina began her 15-year term.

The National Citizen Party, led by Gen Z activists under the age of 30, has joined hands with Jamaat after its anti-Hasina street protests failed to convert into widespread voter support.

“Many factors will shape the outcome, including how Generation Z, who make up about a quarter of the electorate, vote because their preferences matter so much,” Pervez Karim Abbasi, executive director of Dhaka’s Center for Governance Studies, told news agency AFP.

What did Sheikh Hasina say about the elections?

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticized the poll during her exile in India after her party was barred from contesting the elections.

In an email to The Associated Press earlier this month, Hasina warned that Bangladesh could face long-term instability if elections are not inclusive, free and fair.

“Every time a significant portion of the population is denied political participation, it deepens resentment, delegitimizes institutions, and creates future instability,” he wrote.

“A government born of exclusion cannot unite a divided nation,” Hasina said.

Major issues during elections in Bangladesh

These are the main concerns in the country, which is being run by an unelected interim administration since Hasina’s turbulent ouster from power:

Corruption: A recent survey by the Dhaka-based Communication Research Foundation and Bangladesh Election and Public Opinion Studies showed that corruption is the biggest concern for voters. Bangladesh has been one of the worst performers for years in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

inflation: Official figures show inflation rose to 8.58% in January. In the same survey, more than two-thirds of those questioned cited “prices” as their second most serious concern.

Economic Development: Bangladesh was once one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. However, the country is finding it difficult to recover momentum after the export-led apparel industry was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People placed economic development as their third main concern.

employment: About 40% of the population is under 30 years of age. After months of unrest the next government will face strong pressure to create jobs for millions of young citizens.

Ban on Awami League: Hasina’s Awami League has been kept out of the elections. He said that without his party, millions of its supporters would have no one to vote for, and many might choose to boycott the elections. Some citizens have said that they will not vote. However, experts do not expect a mass boycott and believe that former Awami League supporters will still influence the final outcome.

An important test for Bangladesh’s democracy

Apart from voting, there will also be a referendum on political reforms. These proposals include limits on the term of office of the Prime Minister, tighter checks on executive authority, and other steps to prevent concentration of power in Parliament.

The outcome will show whether the country is moving toward real institutional change or will continue under existing power patterns. Since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh has experienced periods of military rule and fragile democratic systems.

The outcome will also indicate whether youth-led protest movements can translate into lasting democratic change. Nearly 50 lakh people are first-time voters and will cast their vote for the first time.

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