Bangladesh’s interim administration said national parliamentary elections will be held in February 2026, the first vote since mass protests toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina one year ago. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who heads the caretaker government, made the announcement in Dhaka while commemorating the anniversary of the 5 August 2024 uprising that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside parliament for rallies, concerts and prayer sessions to observe the milestone. Yunus told the crowd the planned ballot aims to return the country of about 170 million to full democratic governance and pledged that the vote would be peaceful, fair and transparent. He warned that “fallen autocrats and their self-serving allies remain active” and urged political groups to back reforms his administration has drafted. Hasina fled to neighbouring India after security forces killed more than 1,400 protesters during last year’s unrest, according to United Nations figures. Her Awami League remains banned while trials continue for alleged abuses. Yunus’s government is negotiating a July Declaration that would enshrine the 2024 student-led revolt in the constitution and outline institutional changes, though critics argue the document may have limited impact without broader consensus.