Voting in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections ended on Thursday. The election is considered very special, as it is the first general election since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Government officials said voting was completed peacefully and about 48 percent of voters exercised their right to vote. Voting took place in almost all the parliamentary constituencies in the country.
According to early counts, the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and its allies, such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, appear to be leading. On the other hand, Sheikh Hasinaβs party Awami League is still banned, meaning it could not participate in the elections. This made the election environment even more sensitive. Many eyes were fixed on how fair the elections would be considered without the Awami League.
Tight security arrangements were made during the polls. Police and security forces were deployed across the country to prevent violence or disturbances. International observers also came to watch the elections. Representatives from the European Union, China and many other countries were present. They monitored the voting process and so far no major irregularities have been confirmed.
However, some videos have gone viral on social media, alleging that ballot counting or ballot boxes were tampered with in some places even before voting. But the video has yet to be officially verified. Several observers have said there has been no evidence of major fraud so far.
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Taslima Nasreen, a writer in exile, and Sheikh Hasina herself have also questioned the election. They say the whole process needs to be monitored. However, the Election Commission said the polling was conducted in a fair and peaceful manner.
Now all eyes are on the final result. If the BNP and its allies win a majority, the path to a new government in the country will be cleared. The election could prove to be the start of a new chapter in Bangladeshi politics. The people expect the new government to bring stability, development and strengthening of democracy to the country.
