The country’s 13th parliamentary election and the first-ever referendum will be held simultaneously on February 12, 2026. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin announced the date in his address to the nation on Thursday.
The CEC said that voting will continue uninterrupted from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on that day. This time the voting time has been extended by one hour. Black and white ballots will be used in the parliamentary elections and pink ballots in the referendum.
The political heat surrounding this election has reached a new level—this is the biggest constitutional test of the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, formed after the fall of the Awami League government in a mass uprising by students and the public on August 5, 2024. Since coming to power, the government had been planning to hold the election and referendum on the same day in light of the July Charter.
Last July, on the occasion of the ‘People’s Uprising Day’, the chief advisor indicated that national elections would be held in the first half of February. Later, it was decided that the referendum on the implementation of the July Charter would also be held on the same day.
The Election Commission says administrative preparations are progressing rapidly. However, political parties are busy strategizing ahead of the election; many believe this historic day could be a pivotal moment in determining the country’s political future.