Bangladesh's first election since the 2024 mass protests that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government is a pivotal moment for the country's democracy. The election, held on Thursday, was mostly peaceful, with over 47% of voters casting their ballots by 2:00 p.m. in the capital, Dhaka, and elsewhere. The Election Commission reported that more than 127 million people are eligible to vote, marking a significant shift after weeks of protests dubbed a Gen Z uprising. Hasina, who fled the country and is in exile in India, has had her party banned from the polls.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party's Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is a leading contender to form the next government. He returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile in London, promising to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law, and revive the struggling economy. However, the BNP faces an 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist party, which has gained prominence since Hasina's removal. This growing influence has raised concerns, especially among women and minority communities, about potential pressure on social freedoms if the Islamists come to power.
The election is a turning point, according to Jamaat-e-Islami's chief, Shafiqur Rahman, who expressed optimism after casting his vote. Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also celebrated the election as a moment of national joy, describing it as the 'birthday of a new Bangladesh'.
The interim government, led by Yunus, has committed to delivering a credible and transparent election, with around 500 international observers and foreign journalists present. Bangladesh's Parliament has 350 seats, including 300 elected directly from single-member constituencies and 50 reserved for women. Lawmakers are chosen by plurality, and the parliament serves a five-year term.
The election follows a turbulent period marked by mob violence, attacks on Hindu minorities, and the press, as well as the growing influence of Islamists and a weakening of the rule of law. Young voters, many of whom played a central role in the 2024 uprising, are expected to be influential, with around 5 million first-time voters eligible.
The election is a critical test of leadership and trust in Bangladesh's democratic future. Voters can endorse major reform proposals from a national charter signed by major political parties last year. If a majority of voters support the referendum, the newly elected Parliament could form a constitutional reform council to make changes within 180 working days. The proposals include the creation of new constitutional bodies and transforming Parliament into a bicameral legislature with an upper house empowered to amend the constitution by majority vote.
However, critics argue that the referendum has limited the options put before voters, and Hasina's Awami League party, still a major party in Bangladesh, has been excluded from the discussion, despite being banned from the polls. The election and referendum could significantly reshape Bangladesh's domestic stability, with young voters playing a crucial role in this transformative process.
