Bangladesh Election: Sheikh Hasina Set to Win Without Opposition

Bangladesh Election: In anticipation of a fourth consecutive term and a fifth overall for her Awami League-led alliance, Bangladesh’s prime leader, Sheikh Hasina, opened voting for the country’s general election on Sunday.

Pre-election violence and fears of additional bloodshed surround the elections. As the biggest opposition party in the nation, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), along with other like-minded parties, has declared that it will boycott the voting process. Starting on Saturday, the BNP has called for a two-day countrywide strike.

Because of its accusations about the legitimacy of the elections, the opposition is inciting people not to vote and boycotting the poll. The ruling party disputes the accusation that it supported “dummy” candidates. As independents in an effort to give the election a legitimate appearance.

Since a large-scale anti-government march in October that called for Hasina’s resignation and the installation of a caretaker administration to supervise the election became violent, tensions in Bangladesh have escalated. The administration of Hasina claimed that a caretaker government was not permitted under the constitution.

Bangladesh elections 2024: All the information you require

• Voting in Bangladesh began at 8 a.m. local time and will run until 5 p.m. It is anticipated that the results will become available early on January 8.
• The nation’s Election Commission reports that 119.6 million registered voters nationwide are qualified to cast ballots at more than 42,000 polling places on Sunday.
• In addition to 436 independents, almost 1,500 candidates representing 27 political parties are running for office.
• The opposition Jatiya Party (JAPA) is one of the 27 political parties running in the elections. The remainder is part of the coalition led by the ruling Awami League, which analysts have also nicknamed “satellite parties”.
• On election eve, a passenger train caught fire, killing four people, and sparking widespread violence. The Dhaka Tribune reports that there have been several reports of arson assaults on structures around the nation.
• Kazi Habibul Awal, Bangladesh’s chief election commissioner (CEC), has issued a warning. If any anomalies in the voting procedure are discovered, new elections will be held.
• In a speech to the country on Saturday night, he vehemently denounced vote-rigging, ballot-snatching, money-laundering, and the potential use of force to support a candidate or candidates, according to PTI.
• Tens of thousands of opposition leaders and sympathizers were detained by Hasina’s administration before the elections. According to the Associated Press, government authorities contend that particular criminal accusations. Such arson, are what led to the arrests rather than political associations.
• The 12th general election is being closely watched by more than 100 international observers, three of them are from India.
• Over the past 15 years, Hasina has ruled over one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, located in South Asia. She has ruled since 2009 and emerged victorious in the most recent election. It was tainted by violence and allegations of vote rigging, in December 2018.