- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Sun, 07 Jan 2024 08:47 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League is set to regain power in Bangladesh for a fourth straight term as the nation faces its General Election today. Hasina’s victory is anticipated as the key Opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), along with other like-minded parties, has announced a boycott of the polls. The BNP is organising a nationwide strike in the country with violence and arson witnessed at several places.
As per Dhaka Tribune, as many as 14 polling centres and two schools were set ablaze in 10 districts of Bangladesh during pre-poll violence on Friday and Saturday. Five people were arrested after a centre was torched in Mymensingh on Saturday.
No casualties were reported during the violent protests in the country.
The voting in Bangladesh began at 8 am and will continue till 6 pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged people to exercise their voting rights to prove that democracy prevails in the country.
Security has been beefed up across the country amid polls.
Even though Hasina could win key polls in the absence of the main Opposition, it’s most likely that Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties with the Western nations, including the US, may get affected due to the way it was handling the election. The Biden administration has repeatedly criticised the Bangladesh government for handling the polls. The US also imposed visa restrictions on certain people accused of subverting the democratic process.
About Polls:
As per the Election Commission, 119.6 million registered voters are eligible to vote at Sunday's polls in more than 42,000 polling stations. More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties are contesting in the election besides 436 independent candidates.
While addressing the media on election eve, Bangladesh's chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said practices like vote rigging, ballot snatching, money transactions, and possible use of muscle power in favour of any candidate are strictly prohibited.
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Over 100 observers from across the world, including three from India will oversee the General Election in Bangladesh today.