The chequered history of Bangladesh elections: A timeline

Notably, the BNP’s qualms about the fairness of Bangladesh’s electoral process have historical baggage. Very few elections in Bangladesh have been considered free and fair by all parties involved. In fact, no election held under a partisan government has been unblemished from accusations of impropriety.

Here is a brief timeline of Bangladesh’s elections.

1971: Bangladesh is born at the end of the War of Liberation; Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League leads the struggle.

1973: First elections are held; overwhelming victory for the AL amid allegations of rigging in some places.

1974: Mujib bans opposition parties and effectively turns Bangladesh to one-party system.

1975: Mujib is assassinated in a military coup along with most of his family; two daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who were abroad at the time, survive and seek asylum in New Delhi; Ziaur Rahman, a military general, effectively takes over.

1979: Ziaur’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party wins elections; Awami League alleges massive rigging, rejects results.

1981: Ziaur assassinated; his deputy Abdus Sattar takes over and wins general elections.

1982: HM Ershad, army chief, leads another coup.

1986: Ershad’s Jatiya Party wins elections amidst an abysmal turnout; BNP, now under Khaleda Zia, Ziaur’s wife, boycotts polls but AL contests; most do not see the results as legitimate.

1988: Another election held amid calls for Ershad’s removal; boycotted by both AL and BNP, with Khaleda and Hasina leading protests together.

1990: Ershad resigns amid massive protests; a caretaker government takes over.

1991: BNP wins narrow majority in what was seen as fairest elections yet; Khaleda becomes PM, AL sits in opposition.

1996: BNP refuses to appoint caretaker government and wins controversial elections with most parties boycotting; however, the government lasts merely 12 days; elections held again, this time under caretaker government; AL wins and Hasina comes to power for the first time.

2001: BNP wins elections under caretaker government; notably, gives cabinet ministries to Islamist Jamaat; electoral violence targets Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.

2006: Impasse as BNP and AL cannot decide caretaker government; President Iajuddin Ahmed, backed by the Army, declares himself leader.

2007: Army-backed caretaker government arrests Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina on charges of corruption.

2008: Elections finally held under caretaker government; Sheikh Hasina and AL-led Grand Alliance win landslide victory.

2011: Hasina abolishes provisions for caretaker government citing previous experience in 2006-07; cracks down on opposition.

2014: Khaleda put under house arrest; BNP and opposition parties boycott, elections; AL again wins by a landslide.

2018: AL canters to landslide victory even as reports of violence, voter suppression, and rigging mar elections again; BNP again boycotts elections.