Voting begins in 13th national elections II Feb 12, 2026

Описание: Today, February 12, 2026, Bangladesh is witnessing a historic democratic exercise. Below are the detailed descriptions of the seven key news events surrounding the 13th National Parliamentary Elections and the National Charter Referendum.

1. Voting Begins in 13th National Elections & Referendum
The polls opened promptly at 7:30 am across 299 constituencies. This election is a landmark event, being the first since the 2024 political transition. For the first time, voters are casting two ballots simultaneously: one for their parliamentary representative and another for the "July National Charter" referendum—a reform package proposed by the interim government to reshape the country's governance. While queues formed early in the capital, voting in Sherpur-3 was officially postponed following the death of the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate, Nuruzzaman Badol.

2. Chief Adviser Casts Vote at Gulshan Model School
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus exercised his franchise at 10:25 am at the Gulshan Model School and College polling center. After voting, he described the day as the "birthday of a new Bangladesh." He emphasized that the referendum is a critical step in discarding a "nightmarish past" and building a transparent future. He expressed deep personal joy, calling the process a "day of liberation" for the nation's 170 million people.

3. CEC Calls Upon Voters to Exercise Rights Freely
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin addressed the nation via a live televised broadcast on BTV. He categorized voting as both a "civic right and a responsibility," urging the public to ignore fear and head to the polls. He highlighted that over 950,000 law enforcement personnel, including the Army, Navy, and BGB, have been deployed to ensure a peaceful atmosphere. He also reminded candidates that "victory and defeat must be accepted in a normal manner" as a natural outcome of democracy.

4. Tarique Rahman Casts Vote with Family
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman voted at the Gulshan Model High School and College in the Dhaka-17 constituency. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman. This was a significant moment as it marked his participation in an election after a long interval spent in exile. Rahman stated that the people of Bangladesh had been "waiting for over a decade for this day" and expressed firm optimism that a high voter turnout would thwart any conspiracies against the democratic process.

5. Jamaat Ameer Hopes for Peaceful and Fair Vote
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, cast his ballot at Monipur High School and College in Mirpur. He noted that the environment appeared peaceful so far and reiterated that his party would accept the results provided the polls remained free from "violence and occupation." He emphasized that the primary goal of this election is to establish a "justice-based state" and urged party activists to remain vigilant at polling centers to prevent rigging.

6. Nahid Islam Casts Vote, Urges Citizens to Restore Democracy
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam, a key leader of the student-led uprising and now a candidate for Dhaka-11, cast his vote early at A K M Rahmatullah University College in Badda. Representing the younger generation of leadership, Islam shared that he cast his first-ever vote without interruption. He used the occasion to call on the "Gen Z" voters and the general public to flood the polling stations to "restore the ownership of the state" to its citizens.

7. EC Warns Against Electoral Crimes
The Election Commission (EC) issued a stern warning through a nationwide media message, identifying vote buying, selling, obstructing movement, and casting fake ballots as punishable offenses. To back this up, 657 judicial magistrates and over 2,000 executive magistrates are currently on duty to conduct on-the-spot trials for any irregularities. For the first time, the EC is also utilizing UAVs (drones) and body-worn cameras in sensitive areas to monitor and record any attempts to disrupt the peace.