DHAKA (Daily Point) — Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured her fourth consecutive term, leading her party to an absolute majority in the general election, according to the election commission on Monday.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition, boycotted the polls due to Hasina’s refusal to resign and allow a neutral authority to oversee the election.
Daughter of the founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975, Hasina, aged 76, initially became prime minister in 1996. This victory marks her fifth term in office. During her 15 years in power, she is credited with revitalizing the economy and the expansive garments industry. Additionally, she received international acclaim for providing shelter to Rohingya Muslims escaping persecution in Myanmar.
Despite the low voter turnout and reports of violence, the ruling Awami League party won 167 out of 227 seats, with the remaining results yet to be declared. The overall voter turnout was approximately 40%, a significant decline from the 80% recorded in the 2018 election.
Rights groups expressed concerns about the potential establishment of a de facto one-party rule by Hasina’s Awami League in the country of 170 million people. Western nations, including the United States, and key customers of Bangladesh’s garment industry called for a free and fair election, emphasizing its importance as the 12th election since the country gained independence in 1971.
Among the notable winners from the ruling party were actor Ferdous Ahmed and former Bangladesh cricket captains Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza. Independent candidates, many affiliated with the Awami League, secured 49 seats. The BNP accused the ruling party of supporting ‘dummy’ independent candidates to create an illusion of a credible election, a charge vehemently denied by the Awami League.
In response to the boycott, the BNP called for a two-day nationwide strike, urging people to abstain from participating in the election. Hasina, in turn, accused the opposition of instigating anti-government protests in Dhaka since late October, resulting in at least 14 casualties.
