Bangladesh on Thursday formally launched campaigns for next month’s general election, the first national polls since the 2024 uprising that ended the long rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read More: Bangladesh sets Feb election after year of political upheaval
Thousands of supporters of leading opposition figure Tarique Rahman, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), gathered in the northern city of Sylhet, waving party flags and chanting slogans in his support. Rahman, widely known as Tarique Zia, returned to Bangladesh in December after spending 17 years in exile and is considered a key frontrunner in the February 12 vote.
#IndiaAscends with @gauried: Bangladesh’s election campaign starts January 22, leading to general elections on February 12 amidst tight security and neutrality. pic.twitter.com/5MRplWid9L
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 17, 2026
Bangladesh, a nation of about 170 million people, will elect 350 lawmakers in what European Union observers have described as the “biggest democratic process of 2026”. The election is expected to mark a turning point after months of political upheaval following Hasina’s ouster.
Rahman assumed leadership of the BNP after the death of his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in December. Supporters say he represents a continuation of his family’s political legacy, founded by former president Ziaur Rahman.
Meanwhile, Islamist party Jamaat-i-Islami is set to launch its campaign later in the day in Dhaka, while the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), led by student activists who spearheaded the uprising, will also hold rallies in the capital. Jamaat, which was sidelined for years under Hasina’s government, has grown increasingly assertive since senior leaders were released from prison after her departure.
The campaign begins amid security concerns, including the killing of a student protest leader last month, and warnings of widespread online disinformation. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate heading the caretaker government, has cautioned that fake news and rumours could undermine the vote.
Read More: Gunmen attack Bangladesh election rally, kill one as campaign begins
Yunus, who is due to step down after the election, is also pushing for a referendum on political reforms to be held alongside the polls, which he says are essential to prevent a return to authoritarian rule. Relations with neighbouring India remain strained after Hasina fled there and was later sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on protesters.