Bangladesh to hold general elections today; PM Hasina poised to win 4th term

DHAKA: Bangladesh will go to the polls on Sunday in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to win a fourth straight term in the absence of the main Opposition BNP which is boycotting the elections amidst violence and has called for a 48-hour nationwide strike against the “illegal government.”

A total of 119.6 million registered voters are eligible to vote at Sunday’s polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country’s Election Commission. More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties are contesting in the election besides 436 independent candidates.

Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, will monitor the 12th general election, which is being held under tight security. The election commission said it expected the results to start flowing from early on January 8.

PM Hasina’s ruling Awami League is expected to win for a straight fourth time as the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former premier Khaleda Zia, 78, who is under house arrest as a convict of graft charges, boycotted the polls.

Hasina, 76, in a nationally televised address this week has urged the pro-democratic and law-abiding parties not to fuel ideas that “disrupt” the country’s constitutional process.

The BNP has called for a 48-hour nationwide general strike starting from Saturday. The 27 political parties that are contesting the elections include the opposition Jatiya Party (JAPA). The rest are members of the ruling Awami League-led coalition, which experts dub as “satellite parties.”

As part of its vote boycott campaign, BNP on Thursday called a 48-hour countrywide general strike from 6 am on January 6 to 6 am on January 8 as the party has been claiming no election under the incumbent government would be fair and credible.

BNP spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the strike, saying it was aimed to press for their demands for “resignation of the illegal government, establishment of a non-party neutral government and release of all party leaders and activists from prison”.

Ahead of the elections, Hasina’s government arrested tens of thousands of rival politicians and supporters, a move which rights groups have condemned as an attempt to paralyse the Opposition.

Prime Minister Hasina said the Awami League, whenever it came to power, ensured the economic and social development of the people of the country.

Authorities deployed Army troops across the country two days ago “in aid of civil administration” to maintain peace and order during the voting. (photo credit-Shutterstock)