Millions Cast Ballots in First Election Since Youth-Led Revolution

Bangladeshis began voting on Thursday (Feb 12) in what is widely seen as a watershed election, the first since the 2024 ouster of long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a youth-led uprising. The vote is viewed as a critical step in restoring democratic governance after months of unrest that followed the protests, which disrupted key sectors including the country’s vital garments industry.

The election pits two rival coalitions led by former allies — the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami — with opinion polls giving the BNP a slight edge. Hasina’s Awami League has been banned, and she remains in self-imposed exile in India. More than 2,000 candidates from at least 50 parties are contesting 300 parliamentary seats, marking a record level of participation. Voting in one constituency has been postponed following the death of a candidate.

Polling stations opened at 7.30am local time, with long queues forming early in Dhaka and other cities. Nearly 128 million people are registered to vote, about 49 per cent of them women, though only 83 female candidates are running. Many voters expressed enthusiasm about casting ballots freely for the first time in years, while others remained conflicted due to economic pressures or the absence of Hasina’s party from the race.

Alongside the general election, voters are deciding on a referendum proposing sweeping constitutional reforms. These include introducing a neutral interim government during election periods, creating a bicameral parliament, increasing women’s representation, strengthening judicial independence and imposing a two-term limit on the prime minister. Security has been tightened nationwide, with more than 100,000 military personnel assisting police, as officials and observers stress that a fair and peaceful process will be crucial to cementing Bangladesh’s democratic renewal.