Bangladesh election: With the Awami League banned in the country, the electoral battleground is expected to shift sharply, with the contest likely dominated by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the right-wing Jamat-e-Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday said the country will hold the general elections on February 12, its first since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in a violent student-led protest in August 2024. The announcement came a day after the CEC met President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who assured him “optimum support and cooperation” to conduct the general elections in a “free, fair and meaningful” manner.
A total of 300 parliamentary constituencies will go to the polls, and non-resident Bangladeshis will be able to apply online to participate from Friday until 25 December.
The last general elections were held in January 2024. Hasina won the elections marred by controversy and boycott by major parties. However, six months after Hasina’s victory in the 2024 election, protests erupted against her government. The violent street protests forced Hasina to leave for India on August 5, 2024. Three days later, Yunus took over as chief adviser of the interim government. The interim government has disbanded Hasina’s Awami League.
Bangladesh: Electoral battleground expected to shift sharply
With the Awami League banned in the country, the electoral battleground is expected to shift sharply, with the contest likely dominated by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the right-wing Jamat-e-Bangladesh.
Critically ill former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has emerged as the frontrunner, with its once ally Jamaat-e-Islami being the main rival in the absence of the Awami League. Both parties have already announced the names of their nominees in the election for the 300-seat parliament.
Who are the key parties?
With Hasina’s former ruling Awami League banned, the key parties now are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami. And the other key group is the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising.
Jamaat, which was opposed to Bangladesh’s 1971 independence, was in a state of wilderness and eventually banned days ahead of the past government’s ouster, has re-emerged — under the leadership of Shafiqur Rahman — visibly with extra vigour after the students’ protest.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed in February this year, is a political outfit of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) that led last year’s violent street movement leading to Hasina’s ouster.
The NCP has allied with Amar Bangladesh (AB) party, the offshoot of right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Rashtra Songskar Andolon to form an alliance called ‘Gonotantrik Sangskar Jote.’
The main player now appears to be the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. However, the party itself has struggled with years of political conflict, internal strife, and leadership ambiguity. Its leader, Khaleda Zia, is also ill. The question is whether the BNP will be able to fill this void and who will lead it.
What are the core challenges for Bangladesh election?
The upcoming Bangladesh elections will face credibility challenges due to the Awami League’s ban. This leaves the field to the BNP and a resurging Jamaat-e-Islami, alongside the untested, student-led NCP. The core challenge is holding an inclusive, stable poll while reforming institutions to prevent future state capture and political conflict.
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