Voting is underway in Bangladesh on Thursday, marking the country’s return to democratic rule nearly two years after a Gen Z-led uprising resulted in the ouster of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The election comes at a pivotal moment in Bangladesh’s political transition, following the death of former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia. Meanwhile, Hasina’s Awami League remains banned from participating in the political process.
Polling began at 7:30 am and will continue until 4:30 pm, with vote counting set to begin shortly thereafter. The Election Commission is expected to formally announce the results by Friday morning.
Bangladesh, the world’s eighth most populous nation, has approximately 127 million eligible voters. Notably, nearly half of them are between the ages of 18 and 37, underscoring the significant influence of young voters in this election.
According to reports, 51 of the country’s 59 registered political parties are contesting the polls. A total of 1,981 candidates, including 249 independents, are in the fray.
The main contest is between two rival coalitions led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami—former allies who now lead competing alliances. Opinion polls suggest the BNP holds a slight edge.
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has been banned, and she remains in self-imposed exile in India, a long-standing ally. New Delhi’s refusal to extradite her, along with allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh following her ouster, has strained relations between the two neighbouring countries.
According to Al Jazeera, other key political players in the election include the National Citizen Party (NCP), Jatiya Party (JP–Quader), Jatiya Party (JP–Ershad), the Left Democratic Alliance, and the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party).
Corruption, inflation, unemployment, and the broader economic slowdown are expected to be the decisive issues shaping voter sentiment. The official 20-day campaign period concluded on February 10.
Meanwhile, Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) has warned that “strict action” will be taken against members of law enforcement agencies and election officials if incidents such as ballot box snatching, fraudulent voting, or other irregularities occur during the polls.
The adviser reviewed the nationwide law-and-order situation and assessed election security arrangements during a meeting at Police Headquarters.
The European Union has deployed more than 200 observers. This includes 60 long-term observers who have been on the ground since early January and 90 short-term observers assigned to monitor voting and the counting process.