Bangladesh is getting ready for its first national parliamentary election since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as the Prime Minister in August 2024 after massive student-led protests. Since then, the country has been led by interim chief Muhammad Yunus. The past months have been tense, marked by large protests, clashes in several areas, and damage to public property.
As voting day draws closer, political activity has picked up across the country. Candidates and their supporters are visiting homes, holding public meetings, addressing crowds through loudspeakers, and putting up bright posters and banners in towns and villages.
So, here we are to give you all the details while decoding Bangladesh elections for you. When will people cast their votes? Which major parties are in the race? And when can voters expect the results? Here’s everything you need to know:
Bangladesh Elections 2026: Date and Time of polling and results
The polling will be held on February 12 between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm. The counting of votes will start soon after 4 pm. The results will be announced officially by the Bangladesh Election Commission on the morning of February 13, as and when the vote counting is done.
Which are the main parties contesting in Bangladesh Elections 2026 on Feb 12?
Here is a list of all the parties that are contesting the elections:
Bangladesh National Party (BNP)
- The party is led by Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
- It has announced 288 candidates for the February 12 elections.
- The BNP is aiming to return to power but faces strong rivals.
- Along with its allies and some independent candidates, it plans to contest all 300 seats.
11-Party Alliance
This alliance is headed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
- It includes Bangladesh Khelafar Majlis, National Citizen Party, Amar Bangladesh Party, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, Liberal Democratic Party, Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Development Party, and Jatiya Ganotantrik Party.
- The alliance will contest 298 seats.
- Islami Andolan Bangladesh
- The party has been led by Syed Rezaul Karim since 2008.
- It will field candidates in 253 seats across the country.
National Democratic Front
This alliance is led by the Jatiya Party (Ershad).
- It has put forward 206 candidates in total.
- Jatiya Party (Ershad) will contest 195 seats.
- Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijodha party will contest 20 seats.
- Bangladesh Muslim League will contest 17 seats.
- Jatiya Party (Manju) will contest 10 seats.
- Democratic United Front
- This front includes the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Social Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), and the Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.
- It will contest 149 seats in the elections.
Greater Sunni Alliance
- The alliance is led by the Bangladesh Islami Front.
- It has 26 candidates and will contest 64 seats.
- Bangladesh Supreme Party and Islamic Front Bangladesh, the other two members, will each contest 19 seats.
How many seats are there in Bangladesh Parliament and how many are needed to form the government?
Bangladesh’s Parliament, called the Jatiya Sangsad, has 350 members in total. Each member stays in office for five years, similar to the system in India.
Of these 350 seats, 300 are filled through direct voting. People in each constituency vote for their candidate, and the one who receives the highest number of votes wins.
The other 50 seats are kept aside for women. These are not chosen by the public. Instead, the 300 elected MPs select them according to the number of seats each party has in Parliament.
For example, if a party controls 60% of the 300 seats, it gets to nominate 30 of the 50 women MPs. The remaining seats are shared by other parties based on their numbers.
To form the government, a party or alliance must win at least 151 of the 300 directly elected seats. The 50 seats reserved for women are filled later and are not considered when deciding who will form the government.
Timeline of past Bangladesh elections
In recent years, the Awami League has largely dominated Dhaka. In the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections, AL took nearly all of the city’s 20 parliamentary seats.
In 2008, the AL won 18 seats in a landslide. Back in 2001, the BNP-led alliance claimed a strong majority in the capital. Over the years, Dhaka has swung between these two major polictical parties.
Ever since the Dhaka City Corporation was split into North and South zones in 2011, AL candidates have won mayoral elections in both areas, including the 2020 vote.
In the years before 2014, voting in Dhaka was almost a celebration. Voter turnout was often above 70%. People turned out in large numbers. In recent years, that enthusiasm has faded. Turnout in Dhaka dropped. In the 2020 City Corporation elections, for example, only about 25–30% of eligible voters showed up.
Looking ahead, the city’s political scene is changing again. After the 2024 uprising and the dissolution of Parliament, past election results now feel like history. Dhaka is gearing up for the next general election on February 12, 2026, which will take place under an interim administration.