
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a fifth term in office on Sunday as her party, Awami League, and its allies won over 50% of seats in the 12th general elections, despite the opposition’s boycott. Reports from Somoy TV indicated Awami League’s victory in 204 out of 264 announced seats, with the allied Jatiya Party securing nine more.
Hasina, re-elected from the Gopalganj-3 constituency, garnered 249,965 votes amidst sporadic violence and the opposition’s boycott. The main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), urged people to shun the polls, leading to a two-day nationwide strike.
The Bangladesh Election Commission revealed that 119.6 million registered voters were eligible in over 42,000 polling stations, with 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties and 436 independents participating.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan attributed BNP’s boycott to the fear of defeat, stating, “They participated in the 2018 election and got some parliamentary seats, but this year they did not participate knowing they would be defeated.”
Hasina referred to the BNP as a “terrorist organization,” emphasizing her commitment to sustaining democracy in the country.