Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has declared that the next national elections will be held in February 2026, before Ramadan. In a televised address marking the first anniversary of the mass uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Yunus urged citizens to commence both mental and institutional preparation starting immediately.

Yunus said, “I will send a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting the election be scheduled for February.” While April had been previously suggested, major political parties, particularly the BNP, had demanded an earlier timeframe. theguardian.com+15Arab News PK+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15

Describing the vote as a “festival like Eid,” Yunus appealed for widespread participation, especially from expatriate Bangladeshis, women and young voters. “Let us make the election a foundation for a ‘New Bangladesh’,” he said.

Five central leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) have arrived in Cox’s Bazar for what they claim is a personal leisure trip. However, rumors of a secret meeting with former US Ambassador Peter Haas have surfaced—claims the party strongly denies.

According to local police sources, the NCP delegation—comprising Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Dr. Tasnim Jara, Khaled Saifullah, and Nasiruddin Patwari—landed in Cox’s Bazar at 11:25 AM on Tuesday, August 5, via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. They checked into Hotel Sea Pearl at around 12:40 PM.

Shortly after their arrival, speculation began circulating that a closed-door meeting with Peter Haas had taken place at the hotel. However, hotel management dismissed the claim outright.

Nasiruddin Patwari, NCP’s chief coordinator, called the rumors “baseless” and told reporters, “It’s completely false. We came here just to relax. We checked in and then saw this news online—it’s totally untrue.

Shamim Sayeedi, the Jamaat-e-Islami-nominated parliamentary candidate for Pirojpur-2 and chairman of the Sayeedi Foundation, has accused members of the Sheikh family of corruption, despite acknowledging Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the architect of Bangladesh’s independence.

Speaking as the chief guest at a public gathering on August 5 in Nazirabad, Pirojpur, organized by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nazirabad upazila unit, Sayeedi alleged that Sheikh Kamal was involved in a bank robbery after the Liberation War, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was responsible for 14 bank robberies and embezzlement of funds allocated for infrastructure.

“This July uprising was against inequality and corruption. We stand against thieves, against quotas, and in favor of merit,” Sayeedi stated during the event commemorating the July People’s Uprising Day, held in Swarupkathi municipality premises.

He further declared, “There are no minorities in Bangladesh, we are all Bangladeshis. With communal harmony, we will build a golden Bengal.”

Referring to his father, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi’s tenure as MP between 1996 and 2006, he claimed the Hindu community in Pirojpur felt safe during that time. He urged voters to support the Jamaat’s election symbol, the scale, to ensure security for all.