South Asia in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
South Asia's politics in February 2026 were dominated by Bangladesh's national election on 12 February, the first since mass protests led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, won a decisive majority, ending the long dominance of the Awami League. Hasina called the election 'engineered'. The Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami gained ground, and the BNP accused it of attempting to buy votes; four minority members, two of them Hindus, won seats. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus stepped down, and Rahman was sworn in as prime minister on 17 February and named his cabinet. He said restoring the economy and governance was the top priority. The United States, India, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates congratulated him, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited him for a visit. The BNP said its ties with India would rest on mutual respect, including talks to renew the Ganga Water Treaty, and India, China and the European Union reached out to the new government. The central bank governor was removed on 25 February and a new governor took charge, with Transparency International Bangladesh voicing concern over the bank's independence.
In Thailand, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's conservative Bhumjaithai party won the 8 February general election, and Pheu Thai extended its support to form a government. Along the Thai-Cambodian border, Hun Sen said Thailand was occupying Cambodian territory, and Thailand rejected Cambodia's claims at the United Nations while saying the border situation remained stable.
Gaza also featured. Indonesia prepared up to 8,000 troops for possible deployment and confirmed a humanitarian-only mission in June, and five nations reportedly agreed to send troops to a stabilisation force. Indonesia and other countries condemned Israel's declaration of West Bank land as state land. In the Philippines, the International Criminal Court assessed the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte over killings in his drug war, and Vice President Sara Duterte announced her 2028 presidential candidacy. Myanmar's junta announced a new 'super-body' over the armed forces and expelled Timor-Leste's ambassador.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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