Bangladesh Polls Today: Election That Is Poised To Shape The Country's Future Politics. A Look At Key Players

Dhaka: After months of political instability, violence and tensions, Bangladesh is holding its 13th parliamentary election today (Thursday). Around 12.77 crore registered voters will elect members to the 300-seat Jatiya Sangsad, while also participating in a nationwide referendum on proposed constitutional reforms, making it one of the most consequential votes in the recent years.

Polling is to take place across thousands of centres nationwide under tight security.

Why Is This Election Significant?

This is the first national election that is being held since the political upheaval of 2024, when mass protests led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Bangladesh Prime Minister on August 5, 2024 and escaped from her country by taking a helicopter to New Delhi, India. Her resignation came after series of protests against her government on issues including the quota system in Bangladesh. In August 2024, students took out a massive protest in the country, demanding her resignation. The protesters soon broke through the gates of Ganabhaban, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. As the protest escalated, the 78-year-old leader resigned from her post, ending her 15-year-long tenure.

She left Bangladesh in a self-imposed exile and has since been living in a secret safe house in New Delhi.

Following the toppling of Hasina, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as Bangladesh's interim leader.

Today is the first election since then. Hence, it is being viewed as a test of Bangladesh’s democratic restoration and economic stability.

Key Players

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JIB) are the two main parties in the fray. While the BNP is leading a coalition of 10 parties, JIB is leading a coalition of 11 parties. The National Citizen Party, which led the students' protests against the Sheikh Hasina government, is in alliance with the JIB.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the Jatiya Party are also in the fray.

Notably, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League is forbidden for contesting elections.

National Referendum

Alongside the parliamentary election, voters will also participate in a national referendum, which focuses on implementing the July Charter. The proposed reforms were drafted after the 2024 protests with the stated aim of preventing concentration of power and strengthening democratic safeguards.

Key proposals reportedly include introducing term limits for the prime minister, enhancing the independence of constitutional bodies and the introduction of a bicameral parliament.

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