Move FM Global News

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Bangladesh’s Election Commission has announced that the country’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina has secured her third consecutive term with a landslide victory.

According to the Election Commission, Hasina’s ruling party has won 281 of the 300 parliamentary seats, surpassing its previous election wins. 

The Election Commission said that the alliance of Hasina’s Awami League, that has run Bangladesh since 2009, won 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared for the 300-strong parliament. 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat, said, “My congratulations to the Awami League.”

Hasina’s victory has consolidated her decade-long rule over Bangladesh.

While the Prime Minister has been credited with improving the economy and promoting development, she has also faced accusations of rampant human rights abuses, a crackdown on the media and suppressing dissent. 

Hasina has denied all the charges.

A ‘farcical’ election

Despite the announcement by the Bangladesh Election Commission, one of the leading opposition parties has accused Hasina’s alliance of using stuffed ballot boxes.

The opposition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which has won just seven seats and has demanded a new vote, has condemned the “farcical” election and has accused the Awami League of intimidation and vote rigging.

A spokesman for the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) alleged there were “irregularities” in 221 of the 300 seats being contested.

Further, Kamal Hossain, who leads the main opposition grouping, the Jatiya Oikya Front, which includes the BNP, said in a statement that candidates had reported witnessing ballot-stuffing and vote-rigging by ruling party activists.

Hossain said, “The whole election was completely manipulated. It should be canceled. We’ve had bad elections in the past but I must say that it is unprecedented how bad this particular election was. The minimum requirements of free and fair election are absent.”

He added, “We urge the election commission to void this farcical result immediately. We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible.”

Earlier this year, Hasina’s long-term rival, BNP’s Khaleda Zia, was sent to prison on corruption charges.

Zia, who claimed that the charges were politically motivated, was barred from competing in the vote.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, reports noted that at least 47 candidates from the main opposition alliance alleged vote rigging and intimidation and withdrew before polling closed.

Hasina’s government has denied the accusations and the Prime Minister’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, called the opposition “sore losers making false allegations.”

In a statement later in the day, the Bangladesh Election Commission said that it had heard vote-rigging allegations from “across the country” and would investigate.

In a statement on Twitter, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said, “With serious allegations of voter intimidation, restrictions on opposition polling agents and several candidates seeking a re-poll, there are concerns about the credibility of the Bangladesh elections.”

Later, the Election Commission said it would hold a fresh vote for one seat where the poll was marred by violence. 

Further, another constituency, where days before the election a candidate died, is also set to go to the polls in the next few days.

Violence and clashes

The Muslim-majority nation of over 160 million people saw violence between rival supporters and a crackdown on dissent by a government in the lead-up to the election.

According to the police, at least 17 people have been killed in clashes between ruling party supporters and the opposition.

Officials added that seven ruling party workers and five BNP workers were killed and 20 wounded on election day, police said.