Can a general election be called inclusive if the biggest party of the country is banned? How can an election be free and fair if the important leaders of the biggest political party are either in exile, fearing political persecution and vendetta, or under arrest or facing arrest if they come out of hiding? The chief advisor to the interim government must answer these questions as Bangladesh goes to the polls on February 12, 2026. A referendum on the July charter for reforms will also be held along with the parliamentary polls. It will be the first election to be held since the elected government was thrown out in a nationwide protest last year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee the country on August 5, 2024, when thousands of people stormed her official residence, vandalize

See Full Page