Bangladesh may head to the polls as early as February 2026, according to a statement by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, following what many are calling a “game-changing” meeting with BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London.

“The Chief Adviser said that he has announced that the elections will be held by the first half of February next year,” a joint statement released after the meeting noted. “If all preparations are completed, the elections could be held even in the week before the start of Ramzan in 2026.”

“In that case, it will be necessary to achieve sufficient progress on reform and justice within that period,” it added. Reforms remain a key demand from the BNP as well as the international community watching Bangladesh’s return to democracy after a period of intense upheaval.

The meeting, held in a “very cordial atmosphere”, comes amid a major political realignment in Bangladesh, where Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League remains banned from contesting elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, is currently the largest political party.

Tarique Rahman, her son and heir apparent, proposed that elections be held before Ramzan, with the statement adding, “Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also thinks it would be better if the elections were held at that time.”

The London meeting also signaled Tarique Rahman’s likely return to Bangladesh after 16 years in exile, potentially reshaping the political landscape. His return, timed around national elections, could further energize the BNP base.

Following a student-led uprising in August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted and now resides in self-imposed exile in India. An interim government led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus was formed in the wake of her fall.

Yunus, currently on a four-day official visit to London, also faced diplomatic friction, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined a meeting, reportedly due to concerns raised by the Awami League.

With inputs from ANI