Bangladeshi elections: 5th term for prime minister amid opposition boycott, allegations

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to secure her fifth term in office, as election officials began counting votes on Sunday.

The polls, marked by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) branding them a “sham,” unfolded against a backdrop of accusations of human rights abuses and a crackdown on opposition forces.

Hasina, known for overseeing robust economic growth in a nation once grappling with poverty, faces allegations of a ruthless crackdown on the opposition.

Her party strategically avoided contesting certain constituencies, aiming to prevent accusations of a one-party-dominated legislature.

The BNP, facing mass arrests that significantly weakened its ranks, called for a general strike, urging the public to boycott what they labeled a fraudulent election.

Prime Minister Hasina dismissed the opposition party as a “terrorist organization” while calling on citizens to uphold faith in the democratic process.

As results are anticipated as early as Monday morning, preliminary figures indicate a voter turnout of around 40 percent, according to Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal.

Reports of inducements to boost turnout and concerns about ballot stuffing have stirred controversy around the legitimacy of the polls.

While voting was largely peaceful, incidents like the breakup of an opposition protest in Chittagong raised fears of a potential further crackdown.

Human Rights Watch’s Meenakshi Ganguly emphasized the government’s failure to reassure opposition supporters about the fairness of the election, heightening concerns of political repression.

The political landscape in Bangladesh has long been shaped by the rivalry between Hasina and two-time premier Khaleda Zia.

Zia, currently in ailing health at a Dhaka hospital, has seen her party, the BNP, and numerous others refuse to participate in what they consider a “sham election” led by Hasina.

Accusations of arson and sabotage during last year’s protests have further strained the relationship between Hasina’s government and the BNP.

The government’s security forces, plagued by allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, face international scrutiny, including sanctions imposed by the United States.

Economic challenges, including spikes in food costs and chronic blackouts in 2022, have left many dissatisfied with Hasina’s government. Wage stagnation in the vital garment sector, constituting a significant portion of the country’s annual exports, has fueled industrial unrest, raising concerns about the government’s popularity.

As Pierre Prakash of the International Crisis Group noted before the vote, Hasina’s government appears “less popular than it was a few years ago,” creating a potentially volatile situation as Bangladeshis face limited avenues for expressing discontent through the ballot box.