The Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus announced on Tuesday that the next national parliamentary election will be held before Ramadan in February next year.
He made this announcement during a televised address to the nation on Tuesday (August 5), marking the first anniversary of the July Mass Uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League regime.
Mass uprisings have taken place across the world in defiance of authoritarianism. But, did these movements ultimately fulfil people's aspirations – or did the old regimes simply return in new forms?
In the aftermath of such uprisings, people have often demanded elections as a means to fulfil their aspirations.
Let's examine the relationship between elections and popular uprisings over the past three decades.
Not only in Bangladesh, but in many countries around the world, mass uprisings against long-standing authoritarian regimes and corrupt rulers have done more than just topple regimes. In many cases, these uprisings reshaped political structures, governance systems, and the way citizens engage in politics.
Following mass uprisings, what kind of circumstances did other countries face before and after elections?
Stream takes a closer look at those cases to gauge what may lie ahead for Bangladesh
Indonesia (1998)
Mohammad Suharto ruled Indonesia for 32 years. His authoritarian regime was marked by widespread corruption, repression, and a deepening economic crisis. In January 1998, student protests erupted in response to these crises. In May of the same year, the movement intensified drastically.
The killings of three students by the country's security forces triggered a nationwide wave of outrage against Suharto's rule. This led to internal divisions within the military, and many senior military officers withdrew their support from Suharto, who was ultimately forced to resign in 1998 under pressure from a strong mass movement.
Pre-election scenario
Following Suharto's resignation, B J Habibie, the then vice president, assumed leadership and formed an interim government, assuring the restoration of democracy. However, during this time, violence erupted in several major cities, including ethnic violence, and there was tension over military control.
The election
The national election was held on 7 June 1999, a year after the fall of the Suharto regime, and through this election, Indonesia moved forward on the path to multiparty democracy. For the first time after decades of authoritarian rule, the election was competitive as nearly 48 political parties participated. Voter turnout was around 90%.
Following the fall of Suharto, Indonesia's democracy gradually strengthened through regular elections and a peaceful transfer of power.
Nepal (2006)
On February 1, 2005, King Gyanendra of Nepal dissolved the parliament and assumed direct control over the government. This move sparked widespread protests led by political parties, civil society, and ordinary citizens, demanding the restoration of democracy and peace talks with the Maoist insurgents.
Seven main political parties united under the banner of "Seven Party Alliance," and organised mass protests. People broke curfews and took to the streets, openly opposing the monarchy.
The country's major cities were paralysed as the movement intensified. On 24 April 24 2006, King Gyanendra was forced to reinstate parliament after a long period of protests. An interim government was formed subsequently under the leadership of Girija Prasad Koirala. At the same time, the Maoist rebels agreed to lay down their arms and join mainstream politics after a decade-long bloody Maoist insurgency.
On 21 November 2006, a peace agreement was signed between Maoist leaders and the government.
Pre-election scenario
During this period, serious questions arose regarding the future of the monarchy. Anti-monarchy sentiment grew among the citizens, and King Gyanendra steadily became a politically isolated figure. In the interim parliament, most parties agreed in principle on the abolition of the monarchy. Despite multiple bomb blasts and violent incidents, the common people had high hopes for true democracy.
In this context, preparations began for the Constituent Assembly election, the main goal of which was to draft a new democratic constitution and ultimately determine whether or not the monarchy would remain.
Political rallies, campaigns, and civic participation continued to increase across the country. During this period, the Maoists prepared themselves to participate directly in the election for the first time.
Election
After nearly two years of the reinstatement of parliament, Nepal held its Constituent Assembly election on 10 April 2008, aimed at drafting a new constitution and determining the future of the monarchy system. The Maoists arose as the majority party, and the monarchy was officially abolished, transforming Nepal into a republic.
However, the process of constitution-making was prolonged and marred by political conflicts, leading to multiple changes in government. In 2015, a new constitution was finally adopted, though it sparked controversy nationwide. In the following years, local, provincial, and central elections were held successively, as Nepal continues its efforts to establish a stable parliamentary republic.
Tunisia (2011)
Since 1987, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia with an authoritarian grip. At the time, Tunisia was plagued by widespread corruption, unemployment, poverty, and political repression. On 17 December 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in public to protest police humiliation.
After Bouazizi's suicide, thousands of people took to the streets. The protests were led by young people, especially the educated middle class and working communities. Anti-government slogans erupted in the capital Tunis, and other provinces.
Faced with this constant pressure from the crowd, the police opened fire, killing many people. However, this did not stop the movement. Despite Ben Ali's efforts to suppress the movement through harsh crackdowns, he was ultimately forced to flee the country on 14 January 2011, seeking refuge in Saudi Arabia.
Pre-election scenario
After Ben Ali's ouster, a sort of political uncertainty prevailed in Tunisia as the interim government still included members of the old administration, which led to widespread public distrust. Although occasional protests occurred, there was no major violence. Political parties began organising themselves, but sharp internal divisions emerged, particularly between Islamist groups and liberal left-wing factions.
The election
On 23 October 2011, Tunisia held its Constituent Assembly election after nine months of the government's fall, aimed at drafting a new constitution. The Islamist Ennahda Party emerged victorious and began work on the constitution.
However, political divisions and ongoing protests persisted, and in 2013, the assassination of the prime minister and rising political unrest led to increased violence across the country. In 2014, Tunisia held its first presidential and parliamentary elections. This was an important step on the democratic path.
Egypt (2011)
In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak had been in power since 1981. From 25 January 2011, a massive protest erupted across the country against repression, corruption, poverty, and police brutality.
From the very get-go, security forces tried to squash the protesters with an iron fist. Clashes between security personnel and protesters left many people killed or injured.
Despite the crackdown, the movement continued due to strong public and international support and lasted for 18 consecutive days.
Finally, on 11 February, Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign. After his removal, Egypt's military took over the administration of the country.
Pre-election scenario
The public was deeply concerned about the military rule, which resulted in renewed protests demanding the transfer of power. Violence and clashes broke out again. Despite political parties being given leeway to organise at that time, division widened over the Muslim Brotherhood. Conflict between the military and the public became increasingly apparent, as political unrest took hold of the country.
Election
One year and four months after the government's fall, the presidential election was held on 16-17 June 2012. Mohamed Morsi, the candidate backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, was the victor. He was the first democratically elected president of Egypt.
His time in the chair was marked by intense political instability, conflict between religious groups and civil institutions, economic crisis and protests escalated severely.
In July 2013, the military removed Morsi from power and formed a military-backed interim government. Since then, Egypt once again came under military rule. Presidential elections were held under this regime in 2014 and 2018. The country is currently grappling with multiple crises.
Yemen (2011)
Ali Abdullah Saleh ruled Yemen from 1978. His long tenure was marred by accusations of authoritarianism, widespread corruption, unemployment, and the suppression of minorities. In 2011, when the wave of the Arab Spring swayed Yemen, a massive movement broke out against Saleh. Thousands of people from across the country took to the streets in protest, and the movement quickly gained momentum.
The government responded with a harsh crackdown, including security forces firing on demonstrators, leaving many protesters dead. It plunged the country into deep political uncertainty.
Eventually, under mounting pressure, Saleh signed an agreement to transfer power on 23 November 2011, paving the way for the formation of an interim government and a political transition in the country.
Pre-election scenario
Even after Saleh resigned, Yemen was a hotbed of unrest. Houthi rebels and right-wing separatists continued to carry out violence in multiple areas. Both before and after the election, many parts of the country continued to witness regular protests, terrorist attacks, and clashes.
Widespread disappointment and distrust emerged among the public over Mansur Hadi's unilateral bid in the election. As a result, despite the election, the country has not fully progressed toward peace and democracy.
Election
On 21 February 2012, nearly three months after the power transfer agreement by Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen held its presidential election. Mansour Abdrabbuh Hadi ran as the sole candidate and won by a large margin. He assumed office as the head of the interim government.
The election was seen as Yemen's attempt to move forward under new leadership after years of political turmoil and unrest. However, in the following years, the country's political landscape faced numerous challenges.
As a result, the election process and peaceful transfers of power were repeatedly interrupted. Currently, the electoral process in Yemen is nearly at a standstill, and for various reasons, holding elections has become increasingly difficult.
Sudan (2019)
From 1989 to 2019, Omar al-Bashir ruled Sudan with an iron grip. In December 2018, protests erupted against his regime, fuelled by rising inflation, corruption, and repression. The movement spread across the country and continued to expand day by day with the support of the youth, women, and various professional groups.
The demonstrators were not only protesting economic grievances, but also raising demands against the Bashir government's authoritarian rule, extrajudicial killings, and human rights violations.
The then government initially adopted a harsh policy of repression, but it could not be suppressed. Many protesters were killed and injured during the protests, and this further intensified the protests. The military and police forces became increasingly divided. On 11 April 2019, the military removed Omar al-Bashir from power.
Current scenario
Sudan has yet to hold a national election since the fall of the Omar al-Bashir regime. The military initially took full control following his ouster, but widespread protests soon erupted demanding a transition to civilian rule. On 3 June 2019, the army attacked protesters, and the incident sparked intense anger across the country.
Later, in August of the same year, a military-civilian interim government was formed based on an agreement. Even then, power-sharing problems continued to surface.
In 2021, another military coup took place, and civilian leaders were ousted. In April 2023, a civil war broke out between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the conflict continues to this day.
Election
A transitional government was formed in Sudan comprising both military and civilian representatives after the fall of Omar al-Bashir. The main challenge of this government was to ensure the country's democratic reconstruction after decades of authoritarian rule.
While the leaders of the movement demanded a swift election, the military side was in favour of postponing or delaying the elections. As a result, despite the intervention of the international community, Sudan has yet to achieve lasting peace or hold a national election.
Sri Lanka (2022)
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family were influential in Sri Lankan politics for a long time. However, in early 2022, a severe economic crisis, soaring prices, and fuel shortages sparked intense public dissatisfaction, which eventually drove people to the streets. Students, professionals, businesspeople, and farmers all expressed anger due to those crises.
The protests were initially peaceful. However, at the heart of the movement, the demand was for President Rajapaksa's resignation.
On 13 July 2022, Rajapaksa resigned and fled abroad as he was unable to withstand the pressure of the mass uprising.
Pre-election situation
The protests subsided after Rajapaksa's resignation, but the economic crisis persisted, and shortages of food, fuel, and electricity continued. Sri Lanka faced extreme turmoil due to administrative failures, political uncertainty, and a lack of connection with the public.
Election
Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected the new president through a parliamentary vote after a week of Rajapaksa's resignation.
Although the economic crisis and social unrest were brought under control, full stability did not return nationwide. However, the victory of Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the 2024 presidential election brought new hope for political stability in the country.
Bangladesh (1990)
In 1982, Hussain Muhammad Ershad seized power through a military coup. Widespread public resentment built up as his tenure saw increased political repression, corruption, and electoral fraud.
On 6 December 1990, Ershad was forced to resign amid continuous protests, student movements, and pressure from opposition parties.
Pre-election scenario
A neutral caretaker government was formed after Ershad's fall. The situation in the country was relatively calm, and political parties began preparing for elections quickly, and the public was hopeful for credible polls. Most importantly, the government or the military did not interfere in the election process during this time.
Election
On 27 February 1991, the fifth national parliamentary election was held just two months and 21 days after the fall of the government. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won that election and formed the government.
Since then, national parliamentary elections have been held regularly in Bangladesh. Elections under Sheikh Hasina's government in 2014, 2018 and 2024 have sparked controversy, conflict, and public dissatisfaction over alleged vote rigging, ballot stuffing, and other irregularities.
Post-uprising election situation
After the fall of the Awami League regime on 5 August 2024, an interim government was formed, led by Professor Muhammad Yunus. BNP has been demanding elections from the interim government from the beginning.
The party has welcomed Yunus's announcement on 5 August 2025, but Jamaat has termed the election declaration without reforms a betrayal.
Meanwhile, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has said they have no objection to the timing of the election.
"Reforms must be made visible and implemented before the election. The government is duty-bound to fulfil this," NCP said.
Looking at global political history, it is evident that post-uprising situations have often turned unstable before elections in various countries, but there are also instances of peaceful elections. Only time will tell what course Bangladesh takes in the coming six months.
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