Mon Dec 16 04:59:02 UTC 2024: ## Bangladesh’s Interim Leader Sets Tentative Election Date for Late 2025 or Early 2026
**DHAKA, BANGLADESH** – Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, announced on Monday that general elections are tentatively scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026. Yunus, who heads the caretaker government formed following the August revolution that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, stated the timeline in a state television broadcast.
The announcement comes amidst growing pressure on Yunus to set a firm election date. The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer is tasked with the challenging undertaking of restoring democratic institutions in the nation of 170 million. He emphasized that the election date hinges on the progress of crucial reforms currently underway.
Yunus explained that the elections could potentially be held by the end of November 2025 if political parties agree to a quicker timeline focusing on essential reforms, such as creating a flawless voter list. However, a more comprehensive implementation of electoral reforms would push the election back several months, likely into the first half of 2026.
The former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, fled to India after thousands of protesters stormed the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka. Her 15-year rule has been widely criticized for human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents, as well as accusations of manipulating courts, the civil service, and elections to consolidate power.
Yunus’s interim government is currently overseeing a series of reforms aimed at addressing these concerns. The final election date, he stressed, will depend on consensus among the political parties involved.
First Piper 