Bangladesh faces a pivotal democratic test in 2026, as the country gears up for its first national election since the 2024 student-led uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh held general parliamentary elections on 7 January 2024. Bangladesh has a single parliamentary chamber known as the Jatiya Sangsad (Sengupta 2024) with 350 seats. 300 of the 350 Members of Parliament are elected via a first-past-the-post system (International IDEA n.d.). The remaining 50 seats are reserved for women and allotted to parties based on the proportion of seats they hold in parliament.
Bangladesh has entered a new era of reform following its 'Gen Z revolution,’ which ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year reign on 5 August 2024.
