Bangladesh held its 13th general election on February 12, 2026, with voters across Dhaka casting ballots in a significant democratic exercise.
The election saw participation from political leaders including Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman and Bangladesh National Party Chairman Tarique Rahman, with extensive security measures and officials managing the voting process to ensure a smooth electoral experience.

IMAGE: Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer (president), votes in Dhaka. Photograph: Fatima Tuj Johora/Reuters

IMAGE: A woman votes in a designated area in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Voters queue to cast their votes at a polling station in Dhaka, here and below. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

Photograph: Fatima Tuj Johora/Reuters

Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Officials mark a voter's thumb with ink in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: A woman shows her thumb with an ink mark after casting her vote in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairman Tarique Rahman votes in Dhaka. Photograph: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)/Handout via Reuters

IMAGE: People vote in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party supporters ride a vehicle outside a polling station in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Police officers patrol a street during the national election in Dhaka. Photograph: Fatima Tuj Johora/Reuters

IMAGE: Army personnel assist voters at a polling station in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor of the interim government, and his daughter Deena Afroz Yunus show their ink-marked thumbs after voting in Dhaka. Photograph: Reuters

IMAGE: A voter puts his fingerprint on the ballot paper before casting his vote in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: A person prepares to vote at a polling station in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: Members of the army seen outside a polling station in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff and Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Manisha Kotian/Rediff