Bangladesh will go to the polls on 12 February 2026, when the country will hold its 13th national parliamentary election along with a nationwide referendum on major constitutional reforms. The Election Commission announced the full schedule during a televised address by Chief Election Commissioner A. M. M. Nasir Uddin.
Voting Schedule And Process
According to the announcement, voting for both the parliamentary election and the referendum will take place on the same day, at the same polling centres, but on separate ballot papers. Polling will be conducted from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
More than 12.76 crore registered voters are expected to cast their votes. Bangladeshi citizens living abroad will also be able to vote through postal ballots, with more than three lakh expatriates already registered.
Key Dates Announced By The Election Commission
- Last date for filing nomination papers: 29 December 2025
- Scrutiny of nominations: 30 December to 4 January
- Appeals period: 11 to 18 January
- Withdrawal of nominations: 20 January
- Allocation of symbols: 21 January
- Campaign period: 22 January to 10 February
Political Context
The referendum will ask citizens whether they support the constitutional changes proposed under the July Charter, introduced following the political shift earlier in the year. Opposition parties have raised objections to the announced schedule, while the Election Commission has expressed confidence in conducting a free and fair vote.