Hasina Is Set To Stay In Power In Bangladesh After Opposition Boycotts Election, Saying It’s Unfair

DHAKA, Bangladesh — The main opposition party boycotted the parliamentary election in Bangladesh, which allowed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League to win a fourth consecutive term. The counting of votes began on Sunday.

At least 18 arson attacks occurred in the days leading up to the election, but the day itself was generally peaceful. After the votes were counted, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said turnout was around 40%.

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies have boycotted the election, which has increased tensions due to security concerns, including the killing of four people in an arson attack on a passenger train on Friday. They accuse Hasina of making Bangladesh a one-party state and of silencing criticism and civil society.

Authorities blamed the BNP for much of the violence, accusing it of attempting to sabotage the election. Detectives detained seven individuals from the BNP and its youth branch on Saturday for their alleged involvement in the train attack. The party denied having any involvement in the incident.

Hasina Is Set To Stay In Power In Bangladesh After Opposition Boycotts Election, Saying It’s Unfair

Officials stated on Sunday that a supporter of a ruling Awami League candidate was stabbed to death in the Munshiganj area of Dhaka. The police did not respond promptly.

A victory for Hasina, the country’s longest-serving and most influential leader would come with a highly turbulent political landscape. Like previous ones, the election has been defined by the intense competition between Hasina’s Awami League and the BNP, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is sick and under house arrest on corruption allegations that her supporters allege are politically motivated.

For many years, the two women alternately controlled the country, creating a hatred that has since split Bangladesh’s politics and sparked violence around elections. This year’s election prompted concerns about its integrity because the incumbent had no strong opponents.

Badshah Mia, a rickshaw puller in Dhaka, said he would not vote because of the restricted options and that the mood did not emanate that of “a fair election.”

A businessman, Sakibul Hasan Chowdhury, felt the same way. “There is no opposition nor a candidate of my choice.” So, how would voting assist me?”

Habibur Rahman, a small business owner, said he was voting for the ruling party’s candidate in his constituency but said there didn’t appear to be a large turnout.

Critics and rights groups say the vote follows a disturbing pattern, in which the previous two elections under Hasina were marred by claims of vote manipulation — which officials denied — and another boycott by opposition parties.

The government has rejected the BNP’s months-long demand for a neutral caretaker administration to oversee Sunday’s poll.

Hasina Is Set To Stay In Power In Bangladesh After Opposition Boycotts Election, Saying It’s Unfair

The government has defended the poll, claiming that 27 political parties and 404 independent candidates are participating. With dozens of Awami League candidates running as independents and primarily smaller opposition parties in the race, pundits say Hasina’s victory is almost certain.

According to Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, the candidates could only mount a minor challenge to Hasina’s party. “The outcome is all but guaranteed, and that is that the Awami League will return (to power) again,” he stated. He said, “Bangladesh’s democracy will be in an extremely precarious state once the election is done.”

The vote has also been called into question due to allegations of a widespread crackdown on the BNP. According to the party, almost 20,000 of its members were imprisoned on fabricated accusations before the election. The government contested the findings and denied that arrests were made for political reasons, claiming that the number of people arrested ranged between 2,000 and 3,000. In an interview with the BBC, the country’s law minister stated that 10,000 people were likely arrested.

Former minister and BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan said the wave of arrests caused him and dozens of other party members to go into hiding for weeks until candidacy nominations were halted. “It was the only way we could ensure our safety and carry on raising our voice (against the government),” he said.

“We are not boycotting an election — what we are boycotting is a fake and one-sided election that this government is carrying out,” he said.

Hasina is recognized for altering the economy of a young nation born of conflict and making its textile industry one of the most competitive in the world. Her supporters claim that she has prevented military coups and eliminated the menace of Islamic militancy. Internationally, she has helped enhance Bangladesh’s status as a country capable of doing business and maintaining diplomatic ties with countries frequently at odds, such as India and China.

Hasina Is Set To Stay In Power In Bangladesh After Opposition Boycotts Election, Saying It’s Unfair

However, detractors argue that her ascension risks turning Bangladesh into a one-party state where democracy is under threat, as strengthened government agencies deploy oppressive measures to silence critics, limit press freedoms, and restrict civil society.

Bangladesh is feeling the effects of the global economic slowdown, which has exposed holes in the country’s economy, resulting in labor unrest and displeasure with the administration.

After casting her ballot, Hasina rejected worries about the vote’s legality, telling reporters that she was answerable to the people and that whether they accepted the election was irrelevant.

“I’m trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country,” she said. “Without democracy, you cannot make any development.”

SOURCE – (AP)