Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Secures 5th Term As Awami League Wins Over 50% Of Seats

Bangladesh Election Result 2024: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, secured a fifth term in an election marked by sporadic violence amid Opposition BNP's boycott.

File Photo of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ( Image Source :PTI )

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday won re-election for a fifth time following an opposition boycott, with her party taking at least half of the seats, the country's Election Commission informed as the vote counting was underway. The ruling Awami League has won more than 50 per cent of the total 299 seats. Hasina, also the Awami League chief, was re-elected to parliament from the Gopalganj-3 constituency in an election marked by sporadic violence and a notable boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The 76-year-old leader secured a staggering 249,965 votes, leaving her nearest rival, M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party, trailing far behind with a mere 469 votes, as reported by bdnews24. The Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer, Kazi Mahbubul Alam, officially announced the results. This marks Hasina's eighth consecutive win in the Gopalganj-3 seat since 1986, as per news agency PTI.

Bangladesh PM Hasina, in power since 2009, is poised to clinch a record fourth consecutive term and an overall fifth term. The ruling Awami League candidates are leading in most constituencies, indicating continued political dominance, according to preliminary results cited by PTI.

However, the general elections were not without controversy. The voting witnessed a low turnout, initially estimated at around 40 per cent, a figure subject to change after the final count, as stated by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal.

"The BNP is a terrorist organisation," the Bangladesh PM told reporters after casting her vote. "I am trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country," she remarked, as quoted by AFP.

Bangladesh Election 2024: BNP To Continue Protests After Boycotting Polls

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khalida Zia, opted to boycott the elections and has declared its intention to intensify anti-government protests through a peaceful public engagement programme starting Tuesday. The party deemed the elections as fake, claiming the low voter turnout as a success of their boycott movement, PTI reported citing a report by Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

According to PTI, Abdul Moyeen Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, dismissed the elections as a sham, stating, "This is not an election. It is a fake election." Khan highlighted the party's commitment to continue a systematic struggle for democratic rights through peaceful means, awaiting support from the international community.

BNP leaders, facing accusations from the ruling Awami League of attempting to disrupt the elections, have outlined plans for peaceful democratic protest programmes to establish the people's right to vote.

The UN Special Rapporteur, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, expressed deep concern over the repressive environment surrounding the polls in Bangladesh during a statement on Friday.

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