Bangladesh polls: Yunus govt to hold referendum, general elections in February 2026; what is July Charter?

Bangladesh's interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus on Thursday announced that Dhaka will hold a national referendum on implementing the landmark “July Charter” for state reform on the same day as its parliamentary elections in February 2026. The charter, drafted following last year’s deadly student-led uprising, aims to reshape the country’s political institutions and enshrine constitutional recognition of the 2024 movement that led to the ouster of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina . Addressing the nation, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus said, “The parliamentary elections will be held in a festive atmosphere in the first half of February. The referendum on the July Charter will be held on the same day as the parliamentary elections.” He emphasized that the elections