DHAKA – On Thursday, Bangladesh entered a new political era as campaigning kicked off for the national elections, the first since the 2024 uprising that led to the ousting of the long-serving Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.

Major political factions rallied supporters in Dhaka and other regions in anticipation of the pivotal elections scheduled for February 12. This election is deemed crucial in Bangladesh’s history, as it not only follows the significant political shift with Hasina’s removal but is also conducted under an interim government, offering voters the chance to weigh in on proposed reforms.

Currently, the interim government is headed by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, who has committed to ensuring a transparent and impartial electoral process. However, his administration’s decision to ban the Awami League, Hasina’s former ruling party, has stirred controversy. Historically, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have been the primary forces in the nation’s political landscape.

Despite concerns about maintaining law and order, the government assures that measures will be in place to ensure peaceful voting.

Yunus took office shortly after Sheikh Hasina departed for India on August 5, 2024, following a violent crackdown that resulted in the tragic deaths of hundreds of protestors and citizens.

With the Awami League sidelined, a coalition of 10 parties led by Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist group, is poised to broaden its influence. Jamaat-e-Islami has been under scrutiny from secular quarters for policies perceived as undermining Bangladesh’s secularism. Additionally, a new political entity formed by student leaders from the uprising, known as the National Citizen Party (NCP), has joined the coalition.

Tarique Rahman, BNP chairman and the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is widely seen as a leading contender for prime minister. His party has drawn strong support rooted in the political legacy of his mother, who died last month. Rahman returned to Bangladesh last month after 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.

Rahman is launching his campaign in the northwestern city of Sylhet with an address to a rally later Thursday and is scheduled to visit several other districts in the coming days.

Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP are set to begin their campaigns in the capital, Dhaka.

The election will also include a referendum on a national charter, with the interim government seeking campaigning for voters to support what it describes as a new political course built on reforms. The charter was signed last year by 25 of the country’s 52 registered political parties. The Awami League opposed the idea and several other parties declined to sign the document.

The July National Charter, named after the uprising that began in July 2024 and led to the fall of Hasina, is currently nonbinding, but the supporters of the charter say a referendum is needed to make it legally binding and a part of the constitution. Only Parliament can change the constitution in Bangladesh.

The interim government says the charter would bring more checks and balances to avoid authoritarian administrations, including by giving the presidency more authority to balance what had been a powerful prime minister position. It also proposes term limits for legislators, and measures to prevent conflicts of interest, money laundering and corruption.