A landslide for Sheikh Hasina as opposition calls for repolls

New Delhi: Sheikh Hasina led-Awami League is heading towards a landslide victory in Sunday’s parliamentary polls in Bangladesh despite ISI’s alleged ploy to unseat the government that had taken ties with India to a new level over the last decade. Awami League has won 98 of the 100 seats so far and is leading in another 100 seats. Opposition BNP has won only two seats. Polling was held for 299 out of 300 seats in Bangladesh’s Parliament or Jayita Sangsad.

Prominent winners included PM Hasina herself and all leading members of her cabinet.

Voting percentage was in the range of 70%. In urban and rural area, first time voters and women formed large queues since morning to cast their votes.


There are reports of about 15 people being killed in poll-related violence. Among them were 8 from the ruling Awami League, two from the Bangladesh National Party, one from Jaatiya Party and one home guard.

The death figures were higher in previous elections, 21 in 2014 and 2008 and 52 in 2001).

During the polling, about 50 BNP candidates and all Jamaat candidates announced their withdrawal from the polls. This was more a technical announcement without affecting the poll process. Despite this, more than 230 opposition candidates were in the fray.

Opinion polls too had shown Hasina, who has presided over an impressive economic growth, heading for a comfortable victory.

Hasina’s decade long rule has witnessed unprecedented counter-terror partnership with Delhi and pathbraking connectivity intiatives for India’s Act East Policy.

Some 600,000 security personnel were deployed across Bangladesh, including at 40,000 polling stations, in the country’s 11th parliamentary election since Independence in 1971.