Yunus announces election in April 2026, says “Bangladesh is in a state of war”

The announcement also comes in light of the recent reported tensions between Yunus and the country’s Army Chief Waker Uz Zaman

Bangladesh will have elections during the first half of April 2026, Chief Adviser of the interim government Mohammed Yunus announced on Friday (June 6, 2025). In a nationally televised speech ahead of the Id holidays, Mr. Yunus said Bangladesh is in a “state of war”, and accused the “domestic and international supporters of the defeated fascist government” of attempting to destabilise the interim government.

“The next national election will be held in the first half of next year’s April. We want such an election which will attract the largest number of political parties and political leaders. A large number of young people will get a chance to participate in this election,” said Mr. Yunus, in a speech that came days after the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed unhappiness over the delay in announcing election, and demanded that the polls be held by December this year.

Mr. Yunus, in his speech, did not name Sheikh Hasina but referred to the deposed PM and her government as the “defeated fascist government” and said he has stuck to his previous promise of holding election between December 2025 and June 2026.

Referring to the prevailing uncertain circumstances, Mr. Yunus said Bangladesh is in a “state of war” and urged the country to be united. “The deposed fascist government and its domestic and international supporters are trying to derail the efforts to establish a new Bangladesh that has come up after the July uprising. They will try to re-establish their control over Bangladesh. The defeated power and their supporters are waiting to strike at us again. We are in a state of war and therefore we have to remain united,” said Mr. Yunus.

“Under no circumstances, we will allow them to succeed,” he said.

On June 16, the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka will take up the case of Ms. Hasina and her Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who were indicted by the ICT last Sunday. The interim government has suspended all political activities of the Awami League, the party of Ms. Hasina.

Published - June 06, 2025 07:42 pm IST