Bangladesh began three days of mass political rallies on Thursday, with opposing factions set to demonstrate in Dhaka to gather support for the highly anticipated elections, which come after the events of last year’s uprising.
Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of an interim government formed after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in August amidst violent protests, has announced that elections will take place by December at the earliest, or no later than mid-2026.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely considered a likely winner in the upcoming elections, launched its May Day rally in Dhaka.
BNP media officer Shairul Kabir Khan expressed confidence that this rally would be one of the most significant in recent memory. “We are confident this will be the most memorable grand rally in recent times,” he said.
Additionally, Jamaat-e-Islami held a demonstration in Dhaka on Thursday, while the Jatiya Party, previously aligned with Hasina’s regime, also organized a rally, marking its first outdoor political event since its offices were allegedly attacked in October for allegedly assisting Hasina’s Awami League in maintaining power.
On Friday, the National Citizens Party (NCP), founded by students who led the youth protests that resulted in Hasina’s downfall, will hold its own rally. NCP leader Nahid Islam, who initially joined Yunus’s interim government before resigning to establish the party, emphasized the rally’s purpose of fostering public engagement rather than showcasing strength. “This rally isn’t about showing strength, but we expect 20,000 to 30,000 attendees,” said senior NCP official Ariful Islam Adib.
On Saturday, Hefazat-e-Islam, a group composed of Islamic seminaries, will also hold a “grand rally.” Leader Mamunul Haque stated that the rally serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by his group, adding that it will also be an opportunity to present several demands. Key among these demands is the cancellation of recommendations by the government’s Women’s Rights Commission to end discriminatory provisions against women—an indication of how religiously motivated activism is gaining strength after years of suppression. “We will present four demands. Chief among them is scrapping the recommendations of the Women’s Rights Commission,” Haque said. “We don’t care if it’s Muhammad Yunus in charge or someone even more prominent, we’ll take to the streets.”
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has defied an arrest warrant issued by Dhaka for crimes against humanity.
