Former Bangladesh election chief Kazi Habibul Awal arrested as interim govt eyes 2026 polls

Bangladesh's Detective Branch arrested ex-CEC Kazi Habibul Awal, days after Nurul Huda's arrest. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is preparing for national elections in early 2026 amid calls for reform and justice.

Detective Branch (DB) of Bangladesh police on Wednesday arrested Kazi Habibul Awal, another Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), after the former CEC Nurul Huda.

"DB have arrested former CEC Kazi Habibul Awal from Moghbazar in the capital", DB said in a message sent to the media without elaborating.

Kazi Habibul Awal resigned in 2024

Kazi Habibul Awal, a retired senior secretary of the Bangladesh government, resigned as CEC on September 5, 2024. While he was CEC, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won a landslide victory in the 2024 elections.

Former Chief Election Commissioner also arrested

Earlier, "Former Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda was arrested by the Uttara Police Station in the capital on Sunday, June 22, in a specific case. The chaotic situation created by the "mob" and physical assault of the accused has come to the attention of the government", the Bangladesh interim government said in a statement.

On Monday, the court granted Nurul Huda a four-day remand for questioning. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in a student-led uprising in August last year. An interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed.

Muhammad Yunus's election announcement

Earlier this month, Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to the interim government, indicated that national elections will be held in Bangladesh in the first half of 2026.

"The Chief Adviser said that he has announced that the elections will be held by the first half of next year. If all preparations are completed, the elections could be held even in the week before the start of Ramadan in 2026," said a joint statement issued after the talks between Muhammad Yunus and Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman in London.

"In that case, it will be necessary to achieve sufficient progress on reform and justice within that period," it added."

Today, BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman met with visiting Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in London. Their meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere," the statement said.

Tarique Rahman proposed to the Chief Adviser that the elections be held before Ramzan next year. Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also thinks it would be better if the elections were held at that time, the statement added.