Politics: Bangladesh Begins Voting in Historic Post-Coup Election

Voting has begun in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, marking the first general election since the August 5, 2024 coup that ousted Sheikh Hasina. Polling started at 7:00 AM, with long queues seen outside booths in Dhaka. Around 127.6 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots through paper voting, and counting will begin after polls close at 4:00 PM (IST). The main contest is between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, and Jamaat-e-Islami, headed by Shafiqur Rahman, recently released from prison. The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student activists involved in the anti-Hasina protests, is allied with Jamaat. Heavy security deployment has been made amid concerns of election-related violence. With nearly 44% of voters aged between 18 and 37, youth participation is expected to be decisive. The absence of both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia makes this a historic election, shifting the battle from the “two Begums” to the “two Rahmans.” Awami League supporters, barred from contesting, are expected to play a crucial swing role in determining whether BNP or Jamaat forms the next government.