Alongside general elections, people will also be voting for the July National Charter referendum. (Image Source: AP)
Bangladesh will be holding its first election on February 12, 2026, almost one and a half years after student protests in the country led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from the Prime Minister’s position in August 2024.
Unlike India, Bangladesh does not hold elections in phases, but people will cast their votes on February 12, with voting booths open from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Election Commission is expected to start the counting process by 4 PM and announce the results a day later on February 13.
How many seats are there in Bangladesh’s Parliament?
The Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament of Bangladesh) has a total of 350 elected members, who, like its neighbour, India, serve five-year terms.
However, only 300 members are elected by the people for their respective constituencies, with a single member having the majority of votes winning the seat.
The remaining 50 seats are reserved for women and are filled by a vote of the 300 members based on proportional representation.
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For example, if the ruling party represents the 60% of Parliament, it will be able to choose the 30 women representatives out of 50, while the rest will be chosen by the Opposition and other parties.
How many seats are needed to form the government?
Out of the 300 elected members, a party or coalition should have at least 151 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. Since members for the remaining 50 seats reserved for women are elected later, they do not play any role in the government formation.
What is the July National Charter voting?
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, will be holding a national referendum on the July National Charter.
The framework, which is designed to remove the “autocratic structures” from before, is not a constitutional amendment by a referendum signed by more than 25 political parties in the country.
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This includes big parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Alongside a white ballot for voting for local MPs, voters in Bangladesh will also be issued a pink ballot for the referendum.
“Do you approve of the July National Charter (Constitution Amendment) Implementation Order, 2025, and the following proposals for constitutional reform as recorded in the July National Charter?”
People will have to choose between “Yes” or “No” and have no option to selectively approve or reject parts of the charter.
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What transpired during and after the previous elections?
In the 2024 Bangladesh elections, the Bangladesh Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasin,a won with a clear majority. This was because the other major party in the country – Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), along with its smaller allies, had boycotted the elections.
Also, the voter turnout was just 40%.
A few months later, after student protests in the country led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, the Bangladesh Awami League party was barred from contesting the 2026 elections.
But in the coming elections, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which had abstained from the previous elections, will be contesting on 288 seats.
The 11-party alliance, with the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the driving seat, will be contesting on 298 seats, followed by the Islami Andolan Bangladesh fielding candidates on 253 seats. A number of individual candidates are also expected to win from their respective constituencies.
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