Bangladesh general election (the 13th parliamentary election) is scheduled for February 12, 2026. This election is highly significant, as it will pave the path for the future of an unstable Bangladesh.
The election is happening under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as Chief Adviser. It will be held alongside a national referendum on the July National Charter, which proposes major constitutional, electoral, and institutional reforms.
This is the first election following Hasina’s ouster in August 2024 and Khaleda Zia’s demise in December 2025. From 1991 to 2024, these two women dominated Bangladeshi politics and were popularly referred to as the “Begums of Bangladesh.”
Bangladesh ruled by two Begums for 35 years
Sheikh Hasina (Awami League) and Khaleda Zia (Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP) ruled Bangladesh in a fierce rivalry that defined the country’s two-party system for over three decades. Khaleda Zia served as Prime Minister from 1991–1996 and 2001–2006 while Sheikh Hasina held power from 1996–2001 and 2009–2024.
This means this upcoming election will give Bangladesh a new Prime Minister after 35 years.
The upcoming election pits established parties against each other in a fragmented field, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman (son of the late Khaleda Zia), is favored to win or lead a coalition; the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami has resurged after being unbanned by Yunus government, and student-backed National Citizen Party (NCP) represent anti-establishment sentiment.
The Awami League, Hasina’s party, has been barred from contesting the election, as country’s Election Commission cited party’s role in the violence during the 2024 student protest, excluding a major pro-India force and raising questions about the polls’ inclusivity.
Regardless of who win the election, the new prime minister will inherit a polarised society, economic woes (including high inflation and slowed growth), and heightened religious tensions.
Bangladesh’s political landscape has witnessed a seismic shift since the student-led uprising in July-August 2024 ousted Sheikh Hasina, who had effectively ruled as Prime Minister for around 20 years in power, made her longest-ruling leader in the country’s history.
Impact of this election of B’desh foreign policy
According to Al Jazeera report, experts suggest that these Bangladesh elections have the potential to shift diplomatic alignments and the balance of power across South Asia along with redefining country’s politics.
Following Hasina’s ouster, Bangladesh has experienced a significant shift in its foreign policy. Relations with India have deteriorated to their lowest point, while ties with Pakistan have improved and strategic cooperation with China has deepened.
The outcome of this election will therefore be crucial in determining Bangladesh’s future foreign policy, with broader implications for South Asia as a whole.
Strained ties with India: A loss of influence for New Delhi
Under Hasina, Bangladesh was a steadfast Indian ally, cooperating on counterterrorism, border security, and economic integration, which helped stabilise India’s northeastern states and counterbalance Chinese influence.
Her ouster has chilled relations: Dhaka has demanded Hasina’s extradition from India (where she fled in August 2024), especially after her in-absentia death sentence in November 2025 for protest related killings, but New Delhi has refused, viewing her as a victim of political vendetta.
Post-Hasina violence against minorities (particularly Hindus, seen as Awami League supporters) has fueled Indian concerns about Islamist resurgence, prompting border tensions and trade disruptions, such as India’s withdrawal of funding for a key logistics hub in April 2025.
Tension rose as social media in Bangladesh spread provocative content such as “Greater Bangladesh” maps and references to India’s northeastern states, a controversy that deepened after Muhammad Yunus described the region as landlocked.
Anti-Hasina and anti-India student leader Sharif Osman Hadi’s death further increased anti-India sentiments.
A BNP or Jamaat-led government could further erode India’s leverage, as both parties have historically opposed Hasina’s pro-India stance and may rely on anti-India rhetoric to build domestic support.
This could undermine regional security through increased risks of cross-border militancy and migration, while also weakening India’s position in forums such as the Quad by exposing vulnerabilities in its neighborhood policy.
Warming relations with Pakistan: reviving old alliances
Bangladesh-Pakistan ties, fractured since the 1971 independence war, have seen a thaw under the interim government, with high-level visits resuming after decades. A new prime minister from the BNP or Jamaat, both with historical pro-Pakistan leanings, could accelerate this, potentially through intelligence sharing or economic pacts, though geography limits depth.
In 2025, maritime trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh gained momentum with the resumption of cargo shipping services between Karachi and Chattogram. This was followed in early 2026 by the restart of direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi after a prolonged suspension.
Alongside these developments, both countries held discussions on relaxing visa regulations, especially for official travel, while also jointly advocating for the revival of SAARC to strengthen regional cooperation.
This shift alarms India, as it may draw Bangladesh closer to the China–Pakistan axis, complicating New Delhi’s efforts to counter Islamabad on cross-border terrorism, the Jammu and Kashmir issue, and other key challenges.
China’s growing footprint: Tilting the balance toward Beijing
Hasina balanced India and China, but her successors may lean more toward Beijing, which has deepened outreach via the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure investments, and diplomatic support for the interim regime.
Recent developments, such as BNP–CPC engagements in June 2025 and Yunus’s meeting with President Xi Jinping and invitations for Chinese investment, including his remarks describing India’s seven northeastern states as landlocked, signal a strategic shift that could strengthen China’s encirclement of India.
Both countries agreed to negotiate free trade and investment agreements to enhance bilateral trade, with China granting duty-free access to nearly all Bangladeshi goods.
This could accelerate debt-trap concerns but boost Bangladesh’s infrastructure, altering South Asia’s economic corridors and giving Beijing greater sway in the Bay of Bengal.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
