Key Players and Parties in Bangladeshs Upcoming Election

Bangladesh to Hold Elections and Referendum on February 12

On February 12, Bangladesh will hold elections for its parliament, marking the country’s first election since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Approximately 127 million registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots to elect 350 members of the Jatiya Sangsad.

The caretaker government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has been in place since August 2024, following a student-led uprising that ended Hasina’s long rule. The uprising resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people, and Hasina was subsequently sentenced to death by a special tribunal for her role in the crackdown.

In addition to the parliamentary elections, Bangladesh will also hold a referendum on the July National Charter 2025, a document drafted following the student protests that led to Hasina’s ousting. The charter sets the foundation for future governance of the country.

Two main groups are competing for parliamentary seats: the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JIB). The BNP is leading a coalition of 10 parties, while JIB heads an alliance of 11 parties, including the National Citizen Party. The Awami League, which dominated Bangladeshi politics for decades, has been barred from fielding candidates.

The main contenders in the upcoming elections include Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is leading the BNP. The party was founded in 1978 by Ziaur Rahman, Tarique’s father and a prominent military figure during Bangladesh’s independence war against Pakistan in 1971.

The BNP has traditionally been a popular political force in the country, exchanging power with the Awami League for decades. Khaleda Zia served as the country’s first female prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. The party has seen a resurgence since Hasina’s ousting, with a December survey indicating it had the support of 33 percent of respondents.

The election is expected to be closely contested between the BNP and JIB, with polls showing Jamaat just marginally behind the BNP in popular support.

Source: Al Jazeera