Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has been re-elected for the fifth term, with her party winning more than 50 per cent in an election marred with violence and boycott from the main opposition BNP.
Around 170 million Bangladeshis voted today to elect 299 lawmakers even as the Opposition boycotted the polls. Forty per cent of the eligible electorate exercised their franchise amid sporadic violence, officials said.
The run-up to the elections was marred with incidents of violence and arson where at least five schools and four coaches of a train were set ablaze on Friday. Four people died in the train fire.
Sheikh Hasina, whose government arrested thousands of rival politicians ahead of the polls, urged pro-democratic and law-abiding parties not to fuel ideas that "disrupt" the country's constitutional process, news agency PTI reported.
The Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia boycotted the polls. Ms Zia, 78, is under house arrest after being convicted in a corruption case.
The BNP is observing a 48-hour nationwide general strike that began at 6 am on Saturday.
Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, are monitoring Bangladesh's 12th general election.
Here are the LIVE updates on Bangladesh Elections:
Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took an unassailable lead for a fifth term in office Sunday, winning at least 60 percent of seats in parliament, media reported.
Of the three-quarters of results announced -- 225 seats from a total 300 -- Hasina's Awami League had won 172 and her allied Jatiya Party eight more, according to results collated by Somoy TV, the country's largest private news broadcaster. Counting continues.
Bangladesh PM Re-Elected From Her Gopalganj-3 Constituency, Gets Over 249,000 VotesIn Bangladesh's Comilla, voters were seen standing in a queue waiting for their turns to cast their votes despite a boycott led by an opposition party.
Sheikh Hasina Says India Our Trusted Friend, Supported Us During Liberation WarAs Bangladesh goes to the polls today, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended her wishes for India and said that Bangladesh is lucky to have a trusted friend like India.
#BangladeshElections | PM Sheikh Hasina says her opposition a 'terrorist organisation' pic.twitter.com/JQEwBQiys4
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 7, 2024
- 12th elections
- 119.6 million registered voters
- 42,000 polling stations
- Voting held in 299 out of 300 constituencies
- 1,500 candidates
- 27 political parties
- 436 independent candidates.
- 100 foreign observers, including three from India
#BangladeshElections | PM Sheikh Hasina casts her vote in Dhaka. @mickygupta84 reports from Dhaka pic.twitter.com/LOA1KaB0ft
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 7, 2024
#BangladeshElections | PM Sheikh Hasina says 'trying to ensure' democracy can continue in Bangladesh pic.twitter.com/Xu6SwksYJq
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 7, 2024
PM Hasina Likely To Win 4th Straight Term As Bangladesh Votes Amid Strike, ArsonVoting for the 12th general election in Bangladesh began today amid a boycott and strike by the main opposition party. There have also been incidents of arson, including at least five schools and a train being set ablaze.
