Bangladesh Elections 2018: Thumping win for Awami League; Hasina seeks third straight term as PM

While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival, ex-premier Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail.

Image: PTI

New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina swept the December 30 general elections and cruised to victory for a third straight term on Sunday by clinching 260 seats in the 300-member house, local media reported. The country saw a tense polling with 17 killings in poll-related violence amid demands of a fresh election by the opposition. As per DBC TV Awami League-led grand alliance secured 266 seats and its ally Jatiya Party secured 21, while the main opposition National Unity Front (UNF) along with BNP could manage only seven seats. As per local media, independent candidates won in two seats and on one seat election was postponed due to the natural death of a candidate. The Election Commission confirmed the complete result of the constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina won bagging 2,29,539 votes, whereas her BNP opponent got only 123 votes. The major opposition front NUF with the BNP as its key member, rejected the results and demanded for a fresh election under a neutral caretaker government. The voting started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM. The results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, the EC said. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival, ex-premier Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail.