A new dawn of hope breaks over Bangladesh

The people of Bangladesh, who practically remained disenfranchised for more than one and a half decades under the ruthlessly autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina, could finally cast their ballots last Thursday (February 12, 2026) to elect the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (legislature). Notably, Sheikh Hasina was ousted on August 5, 2024 in a student-led mass uprising, popularly known as July uprising, which was followed by installation of an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus. Credit for holding a very credible, peaceful and festive election and a national referendum on implementation of the July Charters, primarily, goes to the interim administration---particularly the Bangladesh Election Commission. Unlike the previous national elections, there were few reports of irregularity or violence. Also credit goes to the law enforcement agencies and the armed forces in particular who played a decisive role throughout the electioneering and the day of polling. It is indeed a unique, historic occasion for the entire nation to celebrate because, it is the first-ever election in living memory in which the voters could participate without looking over their shoulders.
The latest unofficial count of voting shows that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its chairman, Tarique Rahman, the main contender for the office of prime minister, has secured a landslide victory with 212 seats out of 300, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies bagging 77 seats. Now that the BNP which enjoys two-third majority in the Jatiya Sangsad, is going to rule the country for the next five years. The BNP leadership must be aware of the challenging circumstances in which they would be taking over the rein of the country's administration. The July uprising has aroused among the people the hope for a lot of changes in the old order that had helped, among others, corruption to thrive, inequality to expand and the party in power to become autocrat or fascist. The BNP has got absolute majority in parliament and unless it exercises due restraint, it might go off the track and indulge in excesses. The BNP, however, has before it two important documents--- July Charter and its own 31-point programme--- the implementation of which might help it remain on the right course.
It is expected that the holder of absolute majority in February 12 election would also learn from history and avoid committing such mistakes. It will be suicidal particularly when the new government will inherit a lot of political, economic and social challenges. In the economic sector in particular, it will have to work hard to lower inflation, restore confidence in the crisis-ridden banking system, reverse the ongoing trend in private investment and reinvigorate the moribund capital market. More importantly, the BNP government will have to resuscitate the collapsing national institutions. A number of reports prepared by the reform commissions constituted by the interim government might also prove handy for the new government in bringing about desirable changes in the social and economic sectors. Besides, the new administration will have to start doing the arithmetic in the matters of some of its major poll promises such as Family Card and Farmer Card in the context of its capacity to mobilise resources, from domestic and external sources.
There is yet another challenge relating to the implementation of the July charter, which, among other issues, is about transitioning to a bicameral legislature and a system of consensus-based caretaker government system to oversee national polls. In countries like Bangladesh, there is no alternative to this caretaker system. Hopefully, the elected government to take office soon would be able to take all the challenges in its stride.