DHAKA – On Thursday, Bangladesh entered a pivotal phase as political campaigning kicked off for the nation’s first general elections since the 2024 uprising that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, the long-serving Prime Minister.

In anticipation of the February 12 elections, which are being closely watched due to their historical significance, major political parties organized rallies in Dhaka and other parts of the country. These elections, occurring under the supervision of an interim government, also give voters the opportunity to weigh in on proposed political reforms.

The interim administration, headed by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, has committed to conducting transparent and fair elections. However, the decision to bar the Awami League, Hasina’s former ruling party, has sparked controversy. Historically, the political scene in Bangladesh has been dominated by the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Despite assurances from the government about maintaining peace, there are still apprehensions regarding the country’s law and order situation as the elections approach.

Muhammad Yunus took office on August 5, 2024, just three days after Sheikh Hasina departed for India. Her exit followed a violent crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of protesters and civilians.

With the Awami League excluded from the election, a 10-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party, is seeking to expand its influence. Jamaat-e-Islami has long faced criticism from secular groups who say its positions challenge Bangladesh’s secular foundations. A new party formed by student leaders of the uprising, the National Citizen Party, or NCP, is also part of the alliance.

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.