Bangladesh holds parliamentary elections amid unrest and reforms
Millions in Bangladesh cast votes Thursday in parliamentary elections following Sheikh Hasina’s 2024 ouster, amid political instability and ongoing constitutional reforms nationwide.
The Bangladesh Election Commission reported on Thrusday that nearly half of the 128 million eligible voters had cast their ballots by midday, reflecting high early turnout.
Elections follow the 2024 student-led protests that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year government, during which approximately 1,400 people were killed amid violent crackdowns.
A temporary government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has overseen the country since Hasina fled to India, maintaining order amid economic slowdown.
The main contest is between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami Party, now allied with a new student protest movement.
Voting has seen long queues in Dhaka and other cities, with scattered violence reported, including a political activist killed in Khulna and injuries from a bomb blast.
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party was barred from this election by the Election Commission, marking a historic shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
The elections coincide with a referendum on constitutional reforms, including creating a caretaker government, bicameral parliament, term limits, increased women’s representation, and judiciary independence.
Observers note that the conduct of elections and acceptance of results by parties will test Bangladesh’s democratic resilience and shape its political future.
The post Bangladesh holds parliamentary elections amid unrest and reforms appeared first on Khaama Press.