Voting ends in Bangladesh’s first election since Gen Z protests toppled Hasina

WEB DESK: Voting has concluded in Bangladesh’s first general election since mass student-led protests in 2024 brought an end to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.

Polling stations closed at 4:30pm local time (10:30 GMT) after a day of voting that saw citizens cast ballots both for a new government and in a landmark referendum on constitutional reforms, the first time the two votes have been held simultaneously in the country’s history. Official results are not expected before Friday.

The election marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh following a turbulent year that saw an estimated 1,400 protesters killed during a crackdown on demonstrations against Hasina’s increasingly authoritarian leadership. Hasina denies allegations that she directly ordered the crackdown. Her party, the Awami League, has been barred from contesting the election under a court decision made under anti-terrorism laws.

An interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has governed the country since Hasina fled. The main contenders in the election are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which has allied with a party formed from the student uprising movement.

Security was heightened nationwide, with nearly one million personnel deployed amid fears of political violence. Despite tensions, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman said voting had proceeded “fairly peacefully.”

Voters cited concerns over rising prices, corruption, employment and democratic reforms as key issues shaping their decisions in what many see as a defining test for Bangladesh’s political future.

Turnout reaches 32.88% by midday as polling ends nationwide

Voter turnout in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections stood at 32.88% by 12:00 pm on Thursday, according to the Bangladesh Election Commission, as polling concluded nationwide at 4:30 pm local time.

The figures were compiled from 32,789 of more than 42,000 polling stations across the country, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Akhtar Ahmed said during a midday press briefing. Authorities had indicated earlier that turnout was expected to rise further through the afternoon, though final consolidated figures have yet to be released.

Voting began at 7:30 am under tight administrative oversight, with election officials monitoring polling stations to ensure an orderly process. The ballot marked a significant political moment for the country, being the first general election since the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.

The upheaval reshaped Bangladesh’s political landscape and set the stage for a closely watched contest seen as a test of the country’s democratic transition. Voters cast their ballots across thousands of centres nationwide, with authorities maintaining heightened vigilance throughout the day.

With polling now closed, attention turns to the counting process. Election officials have yet to announce when full preliminary or official results will be released, but the outcome is expected to carry major political and economic implications for the country’s future direction.