Bangladesh accomplished polling for the final election and referendum for constitutional modifications on Thursday (February 12, 2026). Polling began in 36,031 election centres at 7.30 a.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. with the Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP) accusing Jamaat-e-Islami, chief of an 11-party alliance, of intimidating voters in numerous areas. In whole, 2,028 candidates are within the fray for the election that may pave the way in which for handover of energy from the interim authorities to an elected administration.
Bangladesh election: Comply with LIVE updates on February 12, 2026
Quickly after the polling course of, occasion symbols-bearing white poll papers of the parliamentary election and pink ballots containing ‘Sure’ and ‘No’ votes for the referendum on ‘July Constitution’ have been being collected to be counted in a single day. Credible early tendencies of the outcomes are anticipated to trickle in by early morning of Friday (February 13, 2026), occasion sources stated.
“The spontaneous participation of voters, the accountable conduct of political events, the restraint proven by candidates, and the professionalism of all establishments concerned within the electoral course of collectively demonstrated that our dedication to democracy stays unwavering,” stated Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the Interim Authorities, in a press release after the voting concluded.
The election was preceded by allegations of voter affect that have been levelled by the BNP in opposition to Jamaat after a frontrunner of the Islamist occasion was caught in Saidpur airport in north Bangladesh with 74 lakhs taka on Wednesday. The BNP alleged that a number of different related incidents had additionally come to gentle.
Nonetheless Jamaat denied the allegation and stated the incident was “stage managed” by safety businesses. Each the BNP and Jamaat despatched delegations to the Election Fee late Wednesday night time to put their variations relating to the case earlier than officers. A number of incidents of violence, intimidation and voter influencing have been reported from totally different elements of the nation throughout the polling.
The BNP Election Steering Committee alleged that, in Khulna, Mohibuzzaman Kachi, a frontrunner of the metropolitan BNP sustained accidents in a scuffle with Jamaat employees after he reportedly “opposed manipulating votes” contained in the centre. The BNP steering committee’s spokesperson Mahdi Amin stated “stronger and extra complete motion might have prevented these incidents extra successfully.”
Amongst prime leaders, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir of the BNP voted at Thakurgaon in north Bangladesh. Occasion chairman Tarique Rahman is contesting from Dhaka 17 in Gulshan neighbourhood of the capital, Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman is contesting in Dhaka-15 in Mirpur locality. Nationwide Citizen Occasion’s Nahid Islam, who’s being supported by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, is contesting from Dhaka – 11 constituency.
An essential contest is happening in Dhaka-8 the place the BNP’s strongman Mirza Abbas is being challenged by the NCP’s Nasiruddin Patowary. Dhaka-8 is the seat the place younger Islamist Sharif Osman Hadi of Inquilab Mancho was planning to contest earlier than he was shot lifeless in December 2025. Mr. Patowary’s problem is critical as he’s being supported by the 11-party alliance. Throughout the polling, Mr. Patowary had alleged that the supporters of Mr. Abbas had tried to intimidate him. Impartial candidate Rumin Farhana in Brahmanbaria, and anti-Hasina rebellion scholar chief Hasnat Abdullah from Comilla-4 are among the many star excessive profile candidates.
This election has witnessed participation of 51 political events, together with Jatiyo Occasion that was an ally of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Ms. Hasina’s Awami League stays banned and was not within the subject for the primary time in Bangladesh’s historical past. Based on the Election Fee, until 2 PM, ballot proportion was round 47.91% with expectation of higher footfall throughout the closing minutes of the ballot.
Whereas brisk polling was witnessed in most elements of Bangladesh within the morning in addition to within the concluding hours, low voting was reported from the Awami League’s strongholds of Madaripur, Shariatpur, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Bagerhat, Thakurgaon, Jamalpur and a number of seats of Mymensingh district. In a press release despatched to the media, Ms. Hasina, who is predicated in India, stated “employees of the Awami League, and well-wishers and minority non secular communities of Bangladesh have been being intimidated over the previous a number of days.”
The Ministry of Exterior Affairs in New Delhi reiterated its place on the necessity for a “free, honest, inclusive and credible election in Bangladesh”. Official Spokesperson of the MEA Randhir Jaiswal stated the interim authorities of Bangladesh had invited India to ship observers. “We now have not despatched our observers to Bangladesh.”
The election was a part of the mandate given to the interim authorities led by Mr. Yunus that had taken cost after the overthrow of the Hasina authorities in August 2024. Although it was anticipated that the election can be held inside a number of months, all the course of was postponed as Bangladesh handled administrative uncertainty and a sequence of reforms.
On the primary anniversary of the autumn of Ms. Hasina’s authorities, Mr. Yunus introduced that the final election can be held forward of Ramzan within the first fortnight of February 2026. This announcement was adopted by the launch of the ‘July Constitution’, a set of rules that have been adopted by the interim authorities in session with numerous political events that envisages essential modifications to the present structure of Bangladesh. Mr. Yunus has introduced that the interim authorities will hand over energy ‘quickly’ after the election result’s introduced and the incoming authorities could have the accountability of implementing the modifications within the structure as talked about within the July Constitution.
Bangladesh Elections Vox Pop
Bangladesh Elections Vox Pop
| Video Credit score:
The Hindu
Revealed – February 12, 2026 10:52 pm IST