Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:Bangladesh election result 2026 LIVE updates: Jamaat-led alliance confident of victory, Yunus hails ‘most peaceful’ poll– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: The counting has begun as voting for the 13th general elections in Bangladesh concluded at 4:30pm (Bangladesh time) with a voter turnout of 47.91% till 2pm, Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said. Voting was also held for the National Referendum which will decide if the July Charter will be adopted or not. In other news, five people have been held in connection with the crude bomb blast at a Munshiganj polling station earlier in the day.
Although more than 2,000 candidates are in the fray in today’s election, only 109 of them are women, according to the Daily Star newspaper.
The poll is also being seen as the country’s first real contest since 2009, despite Hasina’s Awami League being stopped from contesting after the Election Commission cancelled its registration.
Follow Dhaka polls live updates here
More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in the country of nearly 170 million. A total of 1,981 candidates are in the fray for seats in Parliament across the nation. The process is being managed by an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, which has promised free, fair and peaceful elections.
Bangladesh voters on Thursday cast two votes each – one for the national election with white ballot and another for the National Referendum, with pink ballots to decide whether the July National Charter should be adopted. The ‘July Charter’ lays out reforms for good governance, democracy, and social justice through institutional reforms, and to prevent “recurrence of authoritarian and fascist rule.”
- Who are the top contenders?
For years, politics in Bangladesh has centred on two rival families and two powerful women, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
Sheikh Hasina led the country for much of this period, but her Awami League has been barred from contesting the current election. After the ban, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the front-runner. It has put forward Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister Zia, who died in December, as its main face in the race.
Rahman came back to Bangladesh in December after spending 17 years in self-imposed exile. He has said he wants to strengthen democratic institutions, revive the rule of law and revive the economy.
The BNP is facing a challenge from an 11-party bloc led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, which seeks to expand its role in national politics. Notably, Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina’s tenure, but it has since regained ground after she was removed from office. This coalition also includes the recently launched National Citizen Party, formed by Gen Z student leaders linked to the 2024 uprising.
- World’s first Gen Z-inspired election
Many of the young people who played a part in removing her government in the 2024 uprising believe this election will be the Muslim-majority nation’s first real contest since 2009, the year Hasina began her 15-year tenure.
The National Citizen Party, led by Gen Z activists under 30, has joined hands with Jamaat after it failed to turn its anti-Hasina street protests into broader voter support.
“Several factors will shape the outcome, including how Generation Z, which makes up about a quarter of the electorate, votes, as their choices will carry considerable weight,” Parvez Karim Abbasi, executive director at Dhaka’s Centre for Governance Studies, told news agency AFP.
- What did Sheikh Hasina say about the elections?
Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina criticised the vote from her exile in India after her party was prevented from contesting.
In an email sent to The Associated Press earlier this month, Hasina warned that Bangladesh could face long-term instability if the election is not inclusive, free and fair.
“Each time political participation is denied to a significant portion of the population, it deepens resentment, delegitimises institutions and creates the conditions for future instability,” she wrote.
“A government born of exclusion cannot unite a divided nation,” Hasina added.
- Key issues in Bangladesh polls
These are the main concerns in the country, which has been run by an unelected interim administration since Hasina’s turbulent removal from power:
Corruption: A recent survey by the Dhaka-based Communication Research Foundation and Bangladesh Elections and Public Opinion Studies showed that corruption is the biggest worry for voters. Bangladesh has for years ranked among the worst performers in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
Inflation: Official figures show inflation rose to 8.58% in January. In the same survey, more than two-thirds of those questioned named “prices” as their second-most serious concern.
Economic development: Bangladesh was once among the fastest-growing economies in Asia. However, the nation has found it hard to recover pace after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its export-led garment industry. People placed economic development as their third main concern.
Employment: About 40% of the population is under 30. The next government will face strong pressure to create jobs for millions of young citizens following months of unrest.
Ban on Awami League: Hasina’s Awami League has been kept out of the election. She said that without her party, millions of its backers will have no one to vote for, and many could choose to boycott the polls. Some citizens have said they will not vote. However, experts do not expect a large-scale boycott and believe former Awami League supporters will still influence the final result.
- A crucial test for Bangladesh’s democracy
Apart from the vote, there will be a referendum on political reforms. These proposals include limits on the length of a prime minister’s term, tighter checks on executive authority, and other steps to curb the concentration of power in Parliament.
The outcome will show whether the country moves towards real institutional change or continues under existing power patterns. Since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh has seen periods of military rule and fragile democratic systems.
The result will also indicate whether youth-led protest movements can turn into lasting democratic change. Nearly 5 million people are first-time voters and will cast their ballots for the first time.
- When will the Bangladesh election results be announced?
In past elections, unofficial trends have usually started coming in early the next morning.
However, ECB officials told local media that the count could take longer this year. The process will include both the white parliamentary ballot papers and the pink ballots used for the referendum on the July National Charter.
…Read More
Although more than 2,000 candidates are in the fray in today’s election, only 109 of them are women, according to the Daily Star newspaper.
The poll is also being seen as the country’s first real contest since 2009, despite Hasina’s Awami League being stopped from contesting after the Election Commission cancelled its registration.
Follow Dhaka polls live updates here
More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in the country of nearly 170 million. A total of 1,981 candidates are in the fray for seats in Parliament across the nation. The process is being managed by an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, which has promised free, fair and peaceful elections.
Bangladesh voters on Thursday cast two votes each – one for the national election with white ballot and another for the National Referendum, with pink ballots to decide whether the July National Charter should be adopted. The ‘July Charter’ lays out reforms for good governance, democracy, and social justice through institutional reforms, and to prevent “recurrence of authoritarian and fascist rule.”
- Who are the top contenders?
For years, politics in Bangladesh has centred on two rival families and two powerful women, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
Sheikh Hasina led the country for much of this period, but her Awami League has been barred from contesting the current election. After the ban, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the front-runner. It has put forward Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister Zia, who died in December, as its main face in the race.
Rahman came back to Bangladesh in December after spending 17 years in self-imposed exile. He has said he wants to strengthen democratic institutions, revive the rule of law and revive the economy.
The BNP is facing a challenge from an 11-party bloc led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, which seeks to expand its role in national politics. Notably, Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina’s tenure, but it has since regained ground after she was removed from office. This coalition also includes the recently launched National Citizen Party, formed by Gen Z student leaders linked to the 2024 uprising.
- World’s first Gen Z-inspired election
Many of the young people who played a part in removing her government in the 2024 uprising believe this election will be the Muslim-majority nation’s first real contest since 2009, the year Hasina began her 15-year tenure.
The National Citizen Party, led by Gen Z activists under 30, has joined hands with Jamaat after it failed to turn its anti-Hasina street protests into broader voter support.
“Several factors will shape the outcome, including how Generation Z, which makes up about a quarter of the electorate, votes, as their choices will carry considerable weight,” Parvez Karim Abbasi, executive director at Dhaka’s Centre for Governance Studies, told news agency AFP.
- What did Sheikh Hasina say about the elections?
Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina criticised the vote from her exile in India after her party was prevented from contesting.
In an email sent to The Associated Press earlier this month, Hasina warned that Bangladesh could face long-term instability if the election is not inclusive, free and fair.
“Each time political participation is denied to a significant portion of the population, it deepens resentment, delegitimises institutions and creates the conditions for future instability,” she wrote.
“A government born of exclusion cannot unite a divided nation,” Hasina added.
- Key issues in Bangladesh polls
These are the main concerns in the country, which has been run by an unelected interim administration since Hasina’s turbulent removal from power:
Corruption: A recent survey by the Dhaka-based Communication Research Foundation and Bangladesh Elections and Public Opinion Studies showed that corruption is the biggest worry for voters. Bangladesh has for years ranked among the worst performers in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
Inflation: Official figures show inflation rose to 8.58% in January. In the same survey, more than two-thirds of those questioned named “prices” as their second-most serious concern.
Economic development: Bangladesh was once among the fastest-growing economies in Asia. However, the nation has found it hard to recover pace after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its export-led garment industry. People placed economic development as their third main concern.
Employment: About 40% of the population is under 30. The next government will face strong pressure to create jobs for millions of young citizens following months of unrest.
Ban on Awami League: Hasina’s Awami League has been kept out of the election. She said that without her party, millions of its backers will have no one to vote for, and many could choose to boycott the polls. Some citizens have said they will not vote. However, experts do not expect a large-scale boycott and believe former Awami League supporters will still influence the final result.
- A crucial test for Bangladesh’s democracy
Apart from the vote, there will be a referendum on political reforms. These proposals include limits on the length of a prime minister’s term, tighter checks on executive authority, and other steps to curb the concentration of power in Parliament.
The outcome will show whether the country moves towards real institutional change or continues under existing power patterns. Since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh has seen periods of military rule and fragile democratic systems.
The result will also indicate whether youth-led protest movements can turn into lasting democratic change. Nearly 5 million people are first-time voters and will cast their ballots for the first time.
- When will the Bangladesh election results be announced?
In past elections, unofficial trends have usually started coming in early the next morning.
However, ECB officials told local media that the count could take longer this year. The process will include both the white parliamentary ballot papers and the pink ballots used for the referendum on the July National Charter.
Follow all the updates here:
Feb 12, 2026 7:53:54 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Pink and white, why voters cast two votes
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: The voters in Bangladesh on Thursday cast their votes not only for a fresh government, but also for the National Referendum which decides if the July Charter will be adopted or not. The July National Charter – named after the student uprising of July 2024 – outlines plans for constitutional amendments, legal changes and new legislation. A National Consensus Commission formed by the Yunus-led interim government prepared the charter after consultations with major political parties, except Hasina’s Awami League. Yunus announced the July National Charter at a ceremony on October 17, following extended consultations between political parties and the National Consensus Commission he headed. He described the charter as a move toward a “civilised society from barbarism.”
Votes for the government are in white ballot and in pink for the National Referendum.
Feb 12, 2026 7:51:00 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Key contest between Tarique Rahman’s BNP and Jamaat-led coalition
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: With Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League out of the fight after poll ban last year, the election is a direct contest between Tarique Rahman’s BNP and the 11-party coalition led by the Jamaat-e-Islami which itself faced election ban for a long time.
Feb 12, 2026 7:04:53 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Yunus praises people for peaceful voting
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus hailed people for peaceful elections. “The spontaneous participation of voters, the responsible conduct of political parties, the restraint shown by candidates, and the professionalism of all institutions involved in the electoral process collectively demonstrated that our commitment to democracy remains unwavering,” he was quoted as saying by Daily Star.
Feb 12, 2026 6:52:00 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Jamaat-led alliance eyes landslide victory
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance has called the voting as “excellent” and expressed hopes of winning a “landslide victory”, according to The Daily Star. The alliance expressed confidence over winning “highest number” of seats, despite alleging some isolated incidents of violence and irregularities.
Feb 12, 2026 6:29:36 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Low turnout shows people rejected Bangladesh polls, says Hasina
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also hit out at the Bangladesh polls, saying the low turnout shows that the people rejected the election.
“According to the Election Commission’s briefing, by 11 a.m. – just three and a half hours into voting – only 14.96% of eligible voters had participated. This extremely low turnout clearly shows that the Awami League–free election was widely rejected by the people,” Hasina said in a statement.
Feb 12, 2026 6:27:12 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Hasina calls Bangladesh polls ‘well-planned farce’
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has called the Bangladesh polls a “well-planned farce”. In a statement after the polls concluded, Hasina said the voting rights, democratic values, and the spirit of the Constitution were completely disregarded in the election conducted without the Awami League.
Feb 12, 2026 6:14:55 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Why this election matters for Jamaat-e-Islami party?
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: The Jamaat-e-Islami party led by Shafiqur Rahman is one of the key parties in this election. The party was banned from elections during 2014, 2018 and 2024, according to bdnews24.
Feb 12, 2026 6:11:23 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Election in numbers
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: Here is what numbers say know about the key Bangladesh elections:
- 47.91% voter turnout recorded till 2pm
- Voting was held at 36,031 centres across country
- More than 127 million people were eligible to vote
- A total of 1,981 candidates are in the fray
Feb 12, 2026 5:58:56 PM IST
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: What Election Commission of Bangladesh said about voter turnout
Bangladesh election result 2026 live updates: The Election Commission of Bangladesh has said that it is yet to receive voter turnout data from 6,620 polling centres, Daily Star reported.
Feb 12, 2026 5:50:44 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Muhammad Yunus praises voters
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: After the voting concluded, Bangladesh, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus praised the voters for their participation in the elections. “The spontaneous participation of voters, the responsible conduct of political parties, the restraint of candidates and the professionalism of all institutions related to the election—this combined effort has proven that our commitment to democracy remains firm. By exercising their constitutional rights, the people have played an active role in determining the future of the country,” he was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune.
Feb 12, 2026 5:44:07 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: How is today’s election different from the past?
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: One of the key factor that differentiates today’s elections with the past one’s is the absence of Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party that was banned from elections following her ouster in 2024. The past elections have been a direct contest between Awami League and late Khaleda Zia’s BNP. Her son Tarique Rahman is the face of the party now after Zia passed away in December. With Awami League out of contest, BNP is facing Jamaat-e-Islami as a key rival.
Feb 12, 2026 5:37:31 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Jamaat, BNP allege voting irregularities
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP, the two prominent parties in the Bangladesh elections have alleged irregularities in the voting process with Jamaat’s Shafiqur Rahman alleging that attempts are being made to cast fake votes, Daily Star reported. BNP’s Tarique Rahman referred also said some “unwanted incidents” and attempts to mislead voters had been observed.
Feb 12, 2026 5:12:58 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: When will the Bangladesh election results be announced?
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: While the voting has concluded for the 13th general elections in Bangladesh, the final results are most likely to be declared on Friday, February 13.
Feb 12, 2026 5:10:20 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Key issues in crucial post-Hasina polls
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Corruption, employment, inflation and economic development are some of the key issues in the crucial elections being held for the first time since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster following student-led uprising of 2024.
Feb 12, 2026 5:07:48 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: First election in 30 years without ‘boat’ symbol
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: For the first time in 30 years, the legacy political party, the Awami League, was absent from the ballot for Bangladesh’s general elections. Key polls were held in Bangladesh on Thursday that will shape the trajectory of the nation as it reels from nearly two years of political turmoil. The election also marked the first since the 2024 student-led movement toppled the Sheikh Hasina government, prompting the former prime minister to flee to India. Read more about Awami League’s absence from polls
Feb 12, 2026 4:51:05 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting concludes
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting for the 13th general elections concluded at 4:30pm (Bangladesh time) on Thursday. The polling went largely violence-free. However, crude bomb blasts were reported from Munshiganj and Gopalganj areas, injuring three people. A BNP leader also died after a scuffle with rival Jamaat leader supporters.
Feb 12, 2026 4:15:40 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting ends, 47.91% voter turnout recorded
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting for the 13th national elections in Bangladesh ended at 4:30 pm (Bangladesh local time) with a voter turnout of 47.91% at 2pm, Daily Star reported, citing poll body officials.
Feb 12, 2026 4:09:09 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Five held after blast in Munshiganj
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Five people have reportedly been held following a crude bomb blast at a polling station in Munshiganj. The arrests were confirmed by Bangladesh Army officials, the Daily Star reported.
Feb 12, 2026 4:05:45 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Birthday of new Bangladesh, says Muhammad Yunus
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Bangladesh Chief Adviser described the election day as a day of ‘great joy’. “This is a day of great joy. Today is the birthday of a new Bangladesh. We will celebrate this birthday throughout the day,” he said after casting his vote on Thursday morning.
Feb 12, 2026 3:53:04 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: 2 detained after 100+ stamped ballot papers recovered from Sherpur polling station
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Two people were detained after over a hundred ballot papers stamped for the sheaf of paddy symbol from a polling centre in Sherpur were recovered, Daily Star reported. “The incident occurred around 9:30am at Dakshin Nalbaid Government Primary School polling centre under Char Mochharia Union of Sherpur Sadar upazila. Two BNP supporters allegedly collected over a hundred ballot papers and stamped them in favour of the sheaf of paddy symbol,” District Election Officer Jahangir Hossain was quoted as saying.
Feb 12, 2026 3:47:37 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: ‘If the election is fair…’: What Tarique Rahman said
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: BNP leader Tarique Rahman said the party would accept the result if the the election is free and fair. “If the election is free, if it is fair, if it is without controversy, then why would we not accept it? Of course we will accept it. All parties will accept it,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.
Feb 12, 2026 3:37:46 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Jamaat chief praises army
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Chief of Jamaat Islami party, Shafiqur Rahman, praised the army for maintaining law and order during the voting on Thursday, Dhaka Tribune reported. “In several places, BNP supporters tried to take control of centres. However, the army freed those centres within a short time. The role of the army across the country is commendable,” Rahman was quoted as saying.
Feb 12, 2026 3:30:55 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting underway amid tight security
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Voting is currently underway amid heightened security for the 13th general elections in Bangladesh. This is the first time elections are being held here after the Gen Z protests of 2024 which led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who held the top post for almost 16 years before being forced into exile to India.
Feb 12, 2026 3:25:23 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Polling officer dies after falling ill
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: A polling officer has died after falling ill during voting at a centre Brahmanbaria city, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The deceased officer has been identified as 48-year-old Mojahidul Islam.
Feb 12, 2026 2:56:40 PM IST
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: 23 injured as BNP-Jamaat supporters clash in Meherpur
Bangladesh election 2026 live updates: Twenty-three people were injured after clashes broke out between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters in Meherpur amid vote obstruction allegations, bdnews24 reported.
“Upon receiving information about the clash between BNP and Jamaat, the police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Three Jamaat supporters were arrested on the spot and taken to the police station. The situation is currently calm, and voting is going on without any problems,” Mujibnagar police station chief Zahidul Islam was quoted as saying by the outlet.