According to IRI, Bangladesh’s Pre-Election Environment Remains Unstable
According to a report published by the International Republican Institute (IRI), the political situation in Bangladesh remains fragile ahead of the 2026 national elections. From October 20–24, the organization conducted a mission to assess Bangladesh’s electoral environment and democratic processes.
According to the report, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the interim government has formulated a reform framework consisting of 84 proposals under the "July National Charter" through 11 commissions. This framework touches almost all democratic structures of the country. However, due to procedural ambiguities, political disagreements, and uncertainty over the timeline, effective implementation has been delayed.
The report further states that the Election Commission has ensured the inclusion of expatriates as voters to increase voter participation and plans to involve the armed forces to strengthen security. However, pre-election violence, concerns over administrative neutrality, and distrust in the security forces remain as challenges.
In addition, the report says that youth-led new political parties, along with first-time young and expatriate voters, have injected new vitality into the electoral process. However, the lack of transparency in the nomination process, limited participation of women, and the rise of religious hardline ideologies could weaken the country’s democratic foundation.
According to the IRI report, the success of political reforms will depend on the implementation of the July National Charter, transparent electoral administration, and credible participation of political parties. The mission held 21 meetings in the country, with 59 participants in total.
