Bangladesh Elections Voting LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her get together, Awami League, gained a fourth consecutive and fifth total time period within the 7 January common election after the principle opposition, Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), boycotted the polls.

While counting continues to be underway, the incumbent Awami League has gained 200 seats within the 300-seat Parliament, in accordance with PTI.

The Bangladesh polls formally got here to an in depth at 4 pm native time (3:30 pm IST) on Sunday, 7 January, with a meagre 40 % voter turnout being recorded. The area noticed incidents of political unrest resulting in Sunday’s common election with polling cubicles have been set ablaze on the eve of the vote, and 4 individuals, together with two kids, being killed in an arson-related prepare fireplace.

Meanwhile, just a few media shops reported incidents of poll stuffing and violence, together with an incident the place two people have been shot after a scuffle.

Former PM Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has boycotted the elections after Hasina refused to step down and permit a caretaker authorities to take over.

The BNP referred to as for a 48-hour nationwide common strike beginning Saturday , demanding the resignation of the “illegal government” of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and protesting towards the 7 January common election.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Awami League has “won the election”, an Election Commission spokesperson was quoted as saying by information company AFP within the early hours of Monday morning, 8 January.

However, an official announcement by the nation’s Election Commission is but to be made.

While counting continues to be underway, the PM Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League has gained 200 seats within the 300-seat Parliament, in accordance with PTI.

A meagre 40 % of the voters turned out to vote within the Bangladesh elections, officers stated. Meanwhile, the counting of votes has begun and preliminary outcomes are anticipated to return in from Monday morning.

The drumbeat of criticism towards Hasina, led by the US-led West, has been lively for fairly a while. The standard chorus being accusing Bangladesh of turning into a one-party state and democracy being suffocated.

Domestic constituencies, many nurtured by the West and the Opposition events, have rallied to this trigger. Be that as it might, the US with its weaponising sanctions and Visa regime towards officers of the anti-terrorist drive Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and people who subvert the method of a free and truthful election, has not succeeded in making Hasina bend to its will.

She is just not a pacesetter who takes kindly to such blatant strain.

Click here to learn former Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty’s evaluation for The Quint.

Polling within the Bangladesh General election formally closed at 4pm native time (3:30pm IST).

Apart from votes within the Noagaon district, which have been cancelled after a candidate died hours after being allotted an election image, votes might be counted in 299 constituencies, Al Jazeera reported.

After the BNP’s boycott of the election and no different credible opposition in sight, Hasina’s Awami League is poised to safe a bonus, doubtlessly forming the federal government for the fourth consecutive time period.

As polls failed to select up momentum, WION reported that the full voter turnout stood at 27.15 % round 3pm (2:30 pm IST)

The Bangladeshi Police reportedly fired shotguns in Chittagong amid a conflict with Opposition activists, who had arrange roadblocks as a mark of protest towards the continuing election.

Mokhlesur Rahman, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner, instructed AFP that shotguns had been fired to disperse round 60 individuals who had blocked a highway by burning tyres. He added that no one was injured and that the state of affairs was now underneath management.

A key Bangladeshi newspaper important of the ruling authorities has allegedly been blocked amid voting.

Daily Manab Zamin Editor Sajid Hoque stated that the newspaper had been “flooded with calls and messages” from individuals saying that they could not entry the web site, AFP reported.

The financial issues going through Bangladesh are right here to remain – a minimum of for now.

This is just not to remove from the truth that progress has been made throughout financial parameters throughout Hasina’s rule. Industrialisation, improvement initiatives, ladies’ schooling, and electrical energy era have taken middle stage within the Awami League’s marketing campaign for reelection.

However, all is just not in addition to it appears. For occasion, the implications of the financial slowdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are nonetheless removed from over.

 to know extra. 

The Dhaka Tribune has reported {that a} man named Sabet Hossain, 28, has been sentenced to 6 months in jail for participating in fraudulent voting and casting faux votes within the Barguna-1 constituency.

He was reptedly apprehended “red-handed” at a polling middle in Barguna Sadar upazila round 10 am on Sunday.

Barguna Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamim Mia said that Sabet Hossain obtained a six-month rigorous imprisonment time period.

India’s different neighbour China, has views just like New Delhi’s within the Bangladesh election.

Under Hasina, China constructed nearer relations with Bangladesh, which kicked off by fulfilling Dhaka’s determined want for a line of credit score to assemble the Padma Bridge at a time when the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank determined to drag their financing commitments resulting from allegations of corruption.

As votes continued to be solid, click here to learn our evaluation relating to Beijing’s place in Bangladesh. 

According to the Dhaka Tribune, gunfire erupted after a confrontation between supporters of the Awami League’s nominee, Mohiuddin Bachchu, and unbiased candidate Mohammad Manjur Alam. Reports say that two have been shot throughout the scuffle.

Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Tofail Islam verified the incidents , mentioning reviews of explosive units being current amid the conflict, the report added.

According to Bangladeshi day by day newspaper The Business Standard, an incident involving the throwing of bricks and a cocktail explosion concentrating on the police occurred in Chattogram’s Chandgaon space round 9:30am.

On Monday, 1 January, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sentenced to 6 months in jail for violating Bangladesh’s labour legal guidelines.

His supporters have decried the transfer as being “politically motivated.” A labour court docket in Dhaka convicted and sentenced Yunus and three of his colleagues from Grameen Telecom – one of many corporations based by him in 1996 – to “six months’ simple imprisonment,” lead prosecutor Khurshid Alam Khan instructed AFP, including that every one 4 have been instantly granted bail pending appeals.

What are the fees towards Yunus? Why has his sentencing triggered an uproar?  to learn The Quint’s explainer.

A coalition of twelve small events, backing BNP’s election boycott, is demonstrating on the National Press Club within the capital of Bangladesh.

They chanted, “Stop this farcical election. Give back us our democratic right.”

Among the alliance are events reminiscent of Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar), Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, and Islami Oikkya Jote.

In Chandgaon, Chattagram (previously Chittagong), there have been reviews of clashes between BNP activists and the police.

According to Pankaj Dutta, a senior police official chatting with The Daily Star, a faction of BNP employees obstructed roads in an try and trigger chaos. “They hurled stones at law enforcement, prompting a response with shotguns,” he stated.

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated, “…The leadership of BNP has become very crucial and they are taking decisions against people’s will.”

“We have received support from the inception of Bangladesh…I know what cooperation we received from India. So, we believe that this type of brotherly relation will continue,” he added.

As a part of their election boycott technique, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has declared a 48-hour nationwide common strike, set to begin from January 6. The get together’s stance is rooted within the perception that any election performed underneath the present authorities would lack equity and credibility.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP spokesperson, confirmed the strike, stating its objective as a method to stress their calls for for embody the resignation of the present Hasina authorities, which they name “illegal,” the institution of a caretaker authorities, and the discharge of all incarcerated get together leaders and activists.

More than 100 overseas observers, together with three from India, are set to supervise the upcoming common election in Dhaka and different areas of Bangladesh.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen knowledgeable reporters that 60 overseas observers and specialists have already arrived, with a complete of 127 anticipated to take part. Additionally, 73 overseas journalists have been granted accreditation to cowl the occasion.

Other election observers hail from the European Union, the Commonwealth, the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF), and a number of other different establishments.

As Bangladesh goes to polls, PM Sheikh Hasina additionally prolonged her needs to India, stating that Bangladesh is fortunate to “have a trusted friend” like India, citing India’s help throughout the Liberation War in 1971.

“We are very lucky..India is our trusted friend. During our Liberation War, they supported us…After 1975, when we lost our whole family…they gave us shelter. So our best wishes to the people of India,” reviews ANI.

“I think the voter turnout will not be less than 50 percent by the end of the day. The environment is peaceful across the country,” stated Bangladesh Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman, reviews PTI.

For India, Bangladesh’s elections are an vital occasion not solely as a result of Bangladesh shares borders with 5 Indian states and that it is a crucial diplomatic and safety companion, but in addition as a result of India and its allies, on this case, the US, are backing rival political events.

During Hasina’s tenure, India has garnered substantial help from Bangladesh in addressing insurgency in India’s Northeast, facilitating transit, securing entry to key ports within the Bay of Bengal, and finalising vitality agreements. This consists of Bangladesh buying electrical energy at the next price.

As voting started for the final elections, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina solid her vote in Dhaka, ANI reported.

Anowara Islam Rani, a younger transgender from Bangladesh’s northern area is ready to turn out to be the primary transgender candidate to take part within the nation’s elections. 

Rani is operating for workplace from the Rangpur-3 constituency. 

The imminent election in Bangladesh options the ruling Awami League and the first opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Since 1991, the Awami League has held workplace for 4 phrases, whereas the Bangladesh Nationalist Party has ruled twice.

• Established in 1949 by Bangladeshi nationalists as a substitute for the East Pakistan-based Muslim League, the Awami League performed a pivotal position within the nation’s independence battle underneath Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Presently, Sheikh Hasina, Mujib’s daughter, has served as Prime Minister since 2009.

• The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, based in 1978 by former military common Ziaur Rahman, noticed management underneath Ziaur till his assassination in 1981. His spouse, Khaleda Zia, took the helm till her incarceration in 2018, adopted by home arrest beginning in 2020. Currently, the get together is led by Khaleda’s son, Tarique Rahman, residing in exile in London.

• The BNP has opted to boycott the upcoming elections, branding them a “sham” predetermined with a hard and fast final result, as said by Tarique Rahman.

• The Jatiya Party (Ershad), Bangladesh’s third-largest get together with 27 seats within the Jatiya Sangsad, intends to take part within the elections. However, it seems unlikely to pose a big problem to Sheikh Hasina’s dominance.

As Bangladesh goes to ballot for the 2024 common elections in the present day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated, reported ANI:

“Our country is sovereign and independent…We have a big population. We have established people’s democratic rights…I want to make sure that democracy should continue in this country….”

While you look ahead to polling to begin, check out The Quint’s in-depth protection forward of the 2024 Bangladesh Election, together with deep-dive evaluation, contributor opinion and extra.

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The Dhaka-bound Benapole Express prepare in Bangladesh was allegedly set on fireplace, claiming the lives of a minimum of 4 individuals (together with a toddler) and injuring eight others after a suspected arson assault passed off on Friday evening, 5 January, sources instructed The Quint.

The suspected prepare assault, together with reported incidents the place polling cubicles have been set on fireplace, got here within the lead as much as 7 January polls.