Category: Bangladesh

A final official declaration on the outcome of the vote is expected by the Election Commission late Monday…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won an overwhelming majority in Bangladesh’s parliamentary election, giving her party — the Awami League — a fourth consecutive term, the media reported, citing an election official.

After an election campaign fraught with violence and a boycott from the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), it is confirmed as per several media reports that Hasina’s party has won 216 seats out of 299, Sky News reported.

“The ruling Awami League party has won more than 50 per cent of seats,” the official said.

A final official declaration on the outcome of the vote is expected by the Election Commission late Monday, Sky News reported.

Around 40 per cent voted out of a total 120 million people who were eligible, according to Kazi Habibul Awal, the Chief Election Commissioner.

Independent candidates took 52 parliamentary seats, while the Jatiya Party — the third largest in the country — took 11, according to local TV stations.

Hasina’s party has already crossed the majority mark and counting is still on. This will be her fifth term as Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Hasina’s government had arrested thousands of rival politicians ahead of the polls. The Opposition BNP led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia boycotted the polls.

Zia, 78, is under house arrest after being convicted in a corruption case, Sky News reported.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hasina was re-elected to parliament from the Gopalganj-3 constituency.

According to a report by bdnews24, Hasina bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M. Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes.

Hasina has been voted to parliament from the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986.

The win also means the 76-year-old has become the country’s longest-serving leader.

The BNP led by former PM Khaleda Zia refused to accept the election outcome, Sky News reported.

In the build-up to the election, there were at least 18 arson attacks, including one on a train on Friday night that resulted in four deaths.

Seven men belonging to the BNP and its youth wing were arrested for their alleged involvement in the train attack.

The Sheikh Hasina government went on to defend the election, saying 27 parties and 404 independent candidates participated in it.

ALSO READ: Hasina Optimistic About Fourth Term

Awami League leader Zillur Rahman was found dead near a polling centre in Munshiganj this morning….reports Asian Lite News

Sporadic incidents of violence, clashes and alleged rigging marred the Bangladesh Parliamentary polls, which saw 27.15 per cent voter turnout across 42,000 polling stations till 3.00 pm, local media reported.

Addressing a media briefing, Election Commission secretary Jahangir Alam said 27.15 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 3.00 pm, The Daily Star reported.

Awami League leader Zillur Rahman was found dead near a polling centre in Munshiganj this morning.

Rahman was a supporter of AL-nominated candidate from Munshiganj-3 Mrinal Kanti Das. Munshiganj SP said Aslam Khan said the body was recovered but there were no reports of violence from the polling centre.

Earlier in the day, a clash broke out between opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) men and police in Chattogram city’s Chandgaon area.

The BNP men, who were staging demonstrations by blocking the road with burning tyres, threw stones on police personnel who retaliated, police said.

Eight candidates in different constituencies boycotted the polls, alleging vote rigging and irregularities.

Four people, including a child, were injured after unidentified people exploded two crude bombs near a polling centre in Hazaribagh near Dhaka.

Voting at Narsingdi-4 (Monohardi-Belabo) was cancelled over allegations of ballot stuffing.

The voting, which began at 8.00 am local time at over 42,000 polling centres, will continue till 4.00 pm local time

According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,970 candidates are in the fray for 299 parliamentary constituencies.

At one seat, the election will be held later because of the death of an independent candidate.

The candidates include 1,534 from political parties and 436 independents.

The BNP had called a 48-hour nationwide general strike from Saturday seeking resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina is set to win fourth straight term in office for Prime Minister with the main opposition BNP boycotting the polls.

ALSO READ: Hasina Optimistic About Fourth Term

International election expert teams from the EU are present in Dhaka, with foreign observers from various countries, including a Commonwealth team, set to monitor polls…reports Asian Lite News

Nearly 170 million people in Bangladesh will vote to elect 299 lawmakers during the 12th national election on Sunday amid a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, after PM Sheikh Hasina denied its demand to resign and let a caretaker government run the election.

More than 42,000 polling stations are set for Sunday’s elections, where a total of 119.6 million registered voters are eligible to cast their votes, as reported by the country’s Election Commission.

Women make up almost half of the nearly 120 million eligible voters, while first-time voters number about 15 million.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to win a fourth straight term in the absence of the main Opposition BNP which on Saturday began a 48-hour nationwide strike against the “illegal government” amidst violence and a crackdown on protesters, Al Jazeera reported.

The Supreme Court on December 27 provided clearance for the Election Commission (EC) to proceed with the general elections.

Highlighting the security concerns, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has instructed private hospitals and clinics across Bangladesh to keep health services operational and to remain prepared to handle emergencies from Saturday to Wednesday, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.

The directive was issued in a letter signed by DGHS Deputy Director Abu Hussain Md Moinul Ahsan.

This letter was sent to the president, secretary of the Bangladesh Private Clinic Hospital and Diagnostic Center Owners Association, and the president of the Bangladesh Private Medical College Owners Association, among other relevant parties.

As per the letter, private clinics, hospitals, and medical college hospitals must remain fully prepared to handle any emergencies during and after the election until January 10, according to Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to maintain cooperation and friendly relations with India if she is re-elected in the parliamentary polls next month.

The reaffirmation came as she unveiled the manifesto of the ruling Awami League party in December, for the upcoming general elections.

Hasina underlined that if her party secures victory, Bangladesh will persist in its development collaboration with all nations, highlighting its commitment to fostering positive diplomatic ties and cooperation.

Specifically mentioning India-Bangladesh ties, the manifesto states, “The long-standing problem of demarcation of land boundaries and exchange of enclaves with India has been resolved. This achievement has encouraged continued multilateral cooperation and friendly relations with India.”

Moreover, earlier on Friday, three members of the Election Commission of India (ECI) arrived in Dhaka ahead of Bangladesh’s 12th general elections. They will actively participate as part of the international election observer team, contributing to the monitoring process.

The Election Commission has made thorough arrangements for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election on January 7 to ensure a peaceful process.

As many as 127 foreign observers will track the election process to assess the election’ fairness. International election expert teams from the European Union are present in Dhaka, with foreign observers from various countries, including a Commonwealth team, set to monitor the elections.

Despite the preparations, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has decided to boycott the polls. To prevent voting, the BNP has started a 48-hour strike starting commencing on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s “illegal government,” the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the BNP has decided to boycott the general election scheduled for Sunday. The party is advocating for the formation of an interim non-party neutral government to oversee the election, a demand that has been rebuffed by the government led by Prime Minister Hasina.

The BNP will carry out processions, mass campaigns and distribute leaflets against the polls across the country, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.

Moreover, the second day of the hartal coincides with the election, which has already gathered global attention.

Adding to the already existing hurdles, the Bangladesh Election Commission’s election application, “Smart Election Management BD” crashed on the eve of the general elections.

The Tk21 crore app, launched by the Election Commission for voters to find election-related details, including polling centre locations, stopped working a day before the polling date.

Furthermore, at least 14 polling centres and two schools in 10 districts of Bangladesh were set on fire between Friday evening and early Saturday hours before general elections, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.

However, the general elections in Bangladesh will witness participation from approximately 30 countries and 180 overseas observers, signifying international interest and observation in the electoral process. (ANI)

ALSO READ; New Laws Propel UAE’s 2024 Developmental Agenda

The counting of votes will be done on the spot soon after the voting is concluded…reports Asian Lite News

Nationwide voting opened on Sunday morning in Bangladesh’s general elections to elect 299 members of the Parliament.

The voting started at 8:00 a.m. local time at over 42,000 polling centres nationwide and will continue without any break until 4:00 p.m. local time, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,970 candidates are contesting for 299 out of the 300 directly elected parliamentary constituencies. The election to one of the 300 seats will be held later because of the death of an independent candidate.

Meanwhile, the candidates include 1,534 from political parties and 436 independents.

There are nearly 120 million registered voters in the South Asian country. The counting of votes will be done on the spot soon after the voting is concluded.

In order to facilitate the voting process, a public holiday has been declared across the country.

In Bangladesh, a party can only form the government if it manages to clinch 151 seats in total.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the country of 170 million population.

ALSO READ: ‘Democracy Threatened’: Bangladesh FM Speaks Out on Benapole Express Tragedy

The BNP says it does not have any confidence in Hasina presiding over a free and fair election…reports Asian Lite News

The 76-year-old Sheikh Hasina has been in power for 15 straight years — the longest-serving leader in Bangladesh’s history — and tenure has been marked by allegations of authoritarian rule, targeting of the opposition, suppression of people’s rights and large-scale vote rigging in elections held to keep her in power, a media report said.

As she seeks a record fourth term in the January 7 general elections, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has decided to boycott the vote, as it did in 2014, Al Jazeera reported.

Zia, 78, was jailed for more than two years over corruption charges and was moved to house arrest over health concerns in 2020.

The BNP says it does not have any confidence in Hasina presiding over a free and fair election.

It demanded Hasina step down to make way for a caretaker government to organise the vote.

But the demand was met with a severe government crackdown, which saw tens of thousands of BNP members arrested and at least 11 of them killed by security forces during street protests, raising concerns over valid elections in the garments hub of the world, Al Jazeera reported.

In September, the US, the top buyer of Bangladeshi garments, said it was Imposing a visa ban on the country’s officials who undermine the democratic election process.

Two months later, the Human Rights Watch condemned the arrests of opposition members and said “the government’s autocratic crackdown will jeopardise future economic cooperation” with other countries, Al Jazeera reported.

Since the opposition’s boycott call, Hasina’s party had been scrambling to field independent – or “dummy” – candidates to make the election look fair.

To ensure the results are in favour of the ruling party, the government is allegedly using law enforcement machinery and intelligence agencies to intimidate and threaten independent candidates, Al Jazeera reported.

“This election is a charade,” prominent Bangladeshi rights activist Shahidul Alam told Al Jazeera.

“It’s a mockery of our democracy – whatever is left of it.”

The BNP has not only boycotted the election but has also announced a non-cooperation movement, asking people not to vote on in the crucial polls.

As a result, the ruling Awami League’s main concern at the moment is to ensure a “reasonable” voter turnout, according to its official Bahauddin Nasim.

To do that, the party has allegedly resorted to “undue” measures.

In many constituencies, members of the ruling party have been accused of threatening to strip people of the government’s social benefits schemes if they fail to appear in polling booths on election day, Al Jazeera reported.

Rumeen Farhana, the BNP’s international affairs secretary, told Al Jazeera that participating in an election, knowing it will be rigged, was “suicidal and a betrayal to the thousands who were hurt, detained, tortured, or killed for democracy and free speech”.

“People of this country will remember this election as the most absurd and illegitimate one in its history,” she said.

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in the US, said the BNP boycott does the Awami League a “big favour by making it harder for Western countries to conclude that the election is fraudulent”.

He said the pattern of events leading to the BNP’s decision to boycott should be of concern to the West.

Ali Riaz, distinguished professor of politics and government at the Illinois State University in the US, thinks the BNP’s absence from the vote was always the most preferred option for the Awami League.

“Forcing the main opposition out of the election process is a strategy autocrats around the world tend to prefer,” he told Al Jazeera.

Riaz said the upcoming vote on Sunday does not meet the “basic standard of an election”.

ALSO READ: ‘Democracy Threatened’: Bangladesh FM Speaks Out on Benapole Express Tragedy

The incident comes in the backdrop of January 7 general elections and amid calls from the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for a 48-hour nationwide ‘hartal’…reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has called the arsonist attack on the intercity Benapole Express train in Gopibagh, which claimed the lives of four people, an attack on the “democratic process and a grave violation of the rights of citizens.”

He stressed that the deliberate act of setting a train on fire where innocent passengers were subjected to unimaginable horror is an “act of absolute abomination.”

In a statement, he stated, “It is an affront to democracy, an attack on the democratic process, and a grave violation of the rights of our citizens. This deliberate act of setting a train on fire, where innocent passengers were subjected to unimaginable horror and forced to endure the unforgivable sight of fellow humans being burned alive, is an act of absolute abomination.”

The incident comes in the backdrop of January 7 general elections and amid calls from the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for a 48-hour nationwide ‘hartal’ (general strike) commencing on Saturday with demand of resignation from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s “illegal government.”

“This blatant attempt to instil fear and panic among the masses is an affront to the spirit of our democracy and the enthusiastic participation of our citizens in the upcoming election. This act of setting a train on fire, with people burning inside is characteristic of the pattern of violence that we have witnessed before as well. This has shocked the conscience of our whole society – and indeed – the whole world,” he added.

Momen vowed that the perpetrators behind the act would be brought to justice. He stated, “We will leave no stone unturned to find out the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Each one will be brought to justice and exemplary punishment shall be rendered to the culprit(s), according to the law of the land.”

He noted that the arsonists set the train on fire when the people were preparing for national elections. Calling it a “deliberate and heinous act,” Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister said miscreants intentionally set ablaze the Benapole Express.

“When the people of Bangladesh are eagerly preparing for a festive national election – a horrifying act of arson took place on the evening of January 5, 2024, when the Benapole Express, a symbol of connectivity and progress, was intentionally set ablaze by miscreants,” he stated.

AK Abdul Momen said the incident took place at approximately 9 pm (local time) around the Gopibag Kachabazar area when the train was heading to Kamalapur Railway Station. He said four people, including two children died and scores of people have been injured in the fire that was

In the statement, he stated, “This reprehensible incident, undoubtedly orchestrated by those with malicious intent, strikes at the very heart of our democratic values. The timing of this tragedy, just a day before the election scheduled for January 7, 2024, shows an absolute intention to hinder the festivity, safety and security of the democratic processes of the country.”

After arsonists set fire to an intercity Benapole Express train in Gopibagh, the Bangladesh CID, along with a forensic team, arrived at the Kamlapur Railway station where the railway coaches are being shifted for the investigation. The CID is gathering evidence from the train that was set on fire.

The pre-poll violence occurred on Friday at around 9:05 PM, killed four people. Officials called the incident a “planned attack.” The CID team collected DNA samples from the relatives of the victims to identify the bodies, Bangladesh-based The Dhaka Tribune reported.

Reportedly, seven firefighting units were brought in to control the fire, according to the duty officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, Rakibul Hasan, The Dhaka Tribune reported.

Following the incident, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Mahid Uddin alleged that the Benapole Express train fire was a “planned attack.” The incident happened just two days ahead of Bangladesh’s general elections.”We cannot say for sure who carried out the arson attack but it is sabotage for sure,” he said.

The official added that those who carried out the attack will be brought under the law. “Such behaviour towards common people, children and women is inhumane,” he said.

He further said that the people who committed the crime might have disguised themselves as passengers, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. Moreover, Ashraf Hossain, sub-inspector of Dhaka Railway Police Station, said that they received a fire report from the emergency service number around 9:07 pm. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Benapole Express Torched, 5 Lives Lost in Dhaka

Around 300 vehicles have been vandalised by BNP-Jamat in the last two months amid the boycott …writes Sumi Khan

 Alleged BNP-Jamaat activists again torched a running train during its entry into Dhaka on Friday night as part of their protests to disrupt Sunday’s general election, leaving at least five passengers dead, police said.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence said seven units were sent to douse the fire at Benapole Express in the Gopibagh area of the capital on Friday night, the eve of the BNP’s shutdown against the election.

A tearful Syed Murad Hossain, whose kin were on the train, said: “My sister-in-law is missing, my brother and their son are okay, but I can’t find her…”

He said his brother and his family were coming to Dhaka from Rajbari.

“I went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, but she was not there, I came here to the burn unit. Not here either. We are looking for her here and there!,” he said at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery.

The train was coming to Dhaka with passengers from Benapole. Many of the passengers were Indians. The train was seen burning before reaching Kamalapur railway station.

Around 300 vehicles have been vandalised by BNP-Jamat in the last two months amid the boycott .

At least five people were killed earlier in the incidents of setting fire to trains and cutting the railway line. Four people, including a woman and her baby, died when the Mohanganj Express train was set on fire in Tejgaon area of Dhaka early on December 19. Police said arsonists boarded the train and set it on fire.

Meanwhile, BNP-Jamat men torched four polling centres in four different primary and high schools in three upazilas of Rajshahi early on Friday.

Mojibor Rahman, the headmaster of Motihar High School, said the miscreants torched a classroom and several benches and tables were damaged in the fire.

Bagmara Police Station officer in-charge Orbind Sarker said miscreants set Akkelpur High School on fire but locals managed to extinguish it. Two bombs were also found in front of the voting centre, he said.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Rafiqul Islam, said they began an investigation into the incidents.

ALSO READ: Army on Standby: Bangladesh Braces for General Elections

The reaffirmation came as she unveiled the manifesto of the ruling Awami League party on Wednesday for the upcoming general elections scheduled for January 7….reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to maintain cooperation and friendly relations with India if she is re-elected in the parliamentay polls next month.

The reaffirmation came as she unveiled the manifesto of the ruling Awami League party on Wednesday for the upcoming general elections scheduled for January 7.

Hasina underlined that if her party secures victory, Bangladesh will persist in its development collaboration with all nations, highlighting the commitment to fostering positive diplomatic ties and cooperation.

Specifically mentioning India-Bangladesh ties, the manifesto states, “The long-standing problem of demarcation of land boundaries and exchange of enclaves with India has been resolved. This achievement has encouraged continued multilateral cooperation and friendly relations with India.”

Highlighting the foreign policy priorities of her party, Hasina’s manifesto also stated that “cooperation with neighbouring countries will continue in various areas, including cross-border communication, transit, energy partnership, and equitable water sharing”.

“Bangladesh is firmly determined to prevent the presence of militants, international terrorists, and separatist groups on its territory,” the manifesto said, adding, “The Awami League government will play an important role in forming the South Asia Task Force to combat terrorism and militancy to root it out from the entire region.”

According to the manifesto, cooperation with India will continue in the areas of bilateral trade and security. New areas of cooperation with India, Bhutan and Nepal will include energy cooperation and joint river water management.

The Awami League’s election manifesto also outlines an ambitious agenda to transform Bangladesh into a smart country by 2041, focusing on 11 key areas, Daily Star, a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper, reported.

Hasina, presenting the manifesto ahead of the January 7 national election, highlighted the highest priority of creating job opportunities.

The manifesto reflects the party’s commitment to comprehensive development, with a strategic focus on economic growth and employment generation as integral components of Bangladesh’s vision for the future.

The Awami League’s 98-page manifesto places significant emphasis on key areas, including the control of essential commodity prices, the establishment of a technologically advanced and smart Bangladesh, increased investment in agriculture, the expansion of industries, and the empowerment of the financial sector, including banks.

The Supreme Court, on December 27, has provided clearance for the Election Commission (EC) to proceed with the 12th parliamentary election scheduled for January 7, Daily Star reported.(ANI)

ALSO READ: Army on Standby: Bangladesh Braces for General Elections