Bangladesh Election: BNP leads, Dhaka turns new page

Although the Jamaat-e-Islami had tied up with the party floated by student protesters, the National Citizens Party (NCP), the arrangement did not appear to have yielded much result, as per initial estimates.

Around midnight in Dhaka, Bangladesh TV channels and print media organisations, collecting data from local offices of the election commission and their own correspondents on the field, were reporting that BNP had taken the lead in over 120 seats while Jamaat-e-Islami was leading in more than 30 seats. In the Bangladesh parliament of 300 seats, a party needs 151 for a simple majority.

BNP chief Tarique Rahman casts his vote in Dhaka. (ANI)

Earlier in the day, after casting his vote, BNP chief Tarique Rahman said, “Today, the people of Bangladesh will exercise their rights and usher in a democratic Bangladesh… I personally strongly believe that if people across Bangladesh come out today and exercise their rights by voting, Insha Allah, any conspiracy can be thwarted.”

Main rival Jamaat-e-Islami also exuded confidence of a “landslide victory”.

Prof Mohammed Yunus, who led the country’s interim government as its chief advisor, urged voters to make the day of elections the “birthday of a new Bangladesh”.

With the final results expected Friday, voter turnout was about 48 per cent until 2 pm. The polls closed at 4.30 pm.

Each voter has to vote for an MP candidate and for a referendum on Constitutional reforms. The reforms limit the Prime Minister’s term to 10 years, reinstate the caretaker government, introduce a bi-cameral parliament and grant more independence to the judiciary, among other issues.

This makes the exercise complicated and challenging, especially in a country of 12.7 crore voters.

A woman casts her vote as a child looks on in a polling station during Bangladesh’s national parliamentary election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (AP)

According to initial media projections, the “Yes” vote in the referendum was ahead of the “No” votes.

A low turnout could mean that many voters of Hasina’s Awami League had not stepped out to exercise their franchise. In 2008, when all the parties had contested in elections held under a caretaker government, the voting percentage was about 86%.

On Thursday, counting began soon after polls closed. Officials said that since there are two ballots per voter to be counted, it would take more time than usual.

On the streets of Dhaka, hopes of free and fair voting – the elections in 2018 and 2024 faced allegations of widespread rigging by the Awami League – fuelled the mood of anticipation. All major leaders, BNP’s Tarique Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Shafiqur Rahman and Yunus, cast their votes in Dhaka.

Families, women and men were seen across neighbourhoods exercising their franchise in polling stations. There was palpable excitement among the people and party workers.

As voting took place for 299 out of 300 parliamentary constituencies across Bangladesh – voting in one seat was postponed due to the death of a candidate – first-time voters and women voters were expected to hold the key, since the student protests had mobilised the young generation.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance described the voting process as “excellent,” expressing hopes of winning a “landslide victory” and securing the “highest number” of seats, amid allegations of isolated incidents of violence and irregularities. It tied up with the National Citizens’ Party, which was composed of student leaders who led the protests that toppled the Hasina government.

With a heavy security blanket, the elections were largely peaceful. There were a couple of incidents of crude bombs going off. An estimated 1 lakh Army personnel and 1.5 lakh police personnel were deployed.