Sheikh Hasina secures 5th term

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina clinched re-election for an unprecedented fifth term on Sunday, overcoming a major opposition boycott led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she labeled a “terrorist organization.”

Election Commission officials confirmed the triumph of Hasina’s ruling Awami League in the early hours of Monday, revealing initial reports of a modest 40 percent voter turnout.

Despite accusations of human rights abuses and a severe crackdown on opposition, Hasina’s leadership has coincided with significant economic growth in a nation once plagued by poverty.

The Awami League strategically refrained from fielding candidates in some constituencies, seemingly aiming to avoid the appearance of a one-party-dominated legislature.

While the formal announcement of results is expected later on Monday, early indications suggest Hasina’s party has secured around three-quarters of the total 300 seats, with at least 220 in their grasp.

The BNP, severely weakened by mass arrests, deemed the election a “sham” and called for a general strike, contributing to a palpable sense of discontent.

BNP head Tarique Rahman, in exile in Britain, expressed concerns about potential “fake votes” influencing the outcome, branding the entire process a “disgrace to the democratic aspirations of Bangladesh.”

First-time voters, like 21-year-old Amit Bose, participated in the democratic process, emphasizing their support for their chosen candidates.

However, some citizens, disillusioned by the apparent one-sidedness of the election, opted not to cast their ballots, echoing the sentiment of rickshaw-puller Mohammad Saidur, who questioned the necessity when only one party was actively participating.

Despite months of protests by opposition parties in the preceding year, election officials reported a largely peaceful voting process, with an extensive deployment of nearly 800,000 police officers and soldiers nationwide. However, concerns lingered, as Human Rights Watch representative Meenakshi Ganguly warned of potential “further crackdowns,” highlighting the government’s failure to assure opposition supporters of a fair electoral process.

The political landscape, dominated by the enduring rivalry between Hasina and Khaleda Zia, has seen Hasina emerge as a decisive victor since her return to power in 2009.

Zia’s conviction for graft in 2018 and her subsequent ailing health have left the BNP under the leadership of her son, Tarique Rahman.

Accusations of arson and sabotage against the BNP during last year’s protests, coupled with allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances against the government’s security forces, have intensified the political atmosphere.

Economic challenges, including food cost spikes and chronic blackouts in 2022, have added to dissatisfaction with Hasina’s administration.

Pierre Prakash of the International Crisis Group cautioned that despite the government’s waning popularity, Bangladeshis have limited alternatives at the ballot box, creating a “potentially dangerous combination” for the nation’s political future.