Analysts say a decisive mandate is crucial for political stability in the nation of about 175 million people. It is also being described as the world’s first national election following a revolution led largely by under-30s, or Gen Z. The Awami League, led by Hasina, has been disbanded and barred from contesting, while Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India. “This election is not just another routine vote,” Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim government installed after Hasina’s ouster, said this week. “If that happens, it will be the strongest evidence yet that Bangladesh has indeed embarked on a period of democratic renewal.”

Source: The Telegraph February 12, 2026 04:23 UTC