Bangladesh Votes in Historic Election, Counting Begins After 47.9% Turnout

According to the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC), voting officially took place from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (local time). However, officials clarified that individuals who had entered polling station premises before the close of voting were permitted to cast their ballots.

According to EC's Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, voter turnout across 36,031 polling stations stood at 47.91 per cent as of 2:00 pm (local time), Daily Star reported.

However, a total of 42,651 polling centres were set up for Thursday's national election.

The elections come at a critical time in the country's history, almost two years after the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted following a student-led movement in July 2024.

The 2024 July Uprising ended the Bangladesh Awami League's regime, which has now been barred from participating in the current election.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamic conservative party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed following the student-led uprising, along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, are the main competitors in the elections.

A total of 2034 candidates are contesting the polls, with 51 parties participating, according to the Daily Star.

The contesting parties are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Jatiya Party (JP-Quader), Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad), Left Democratic Alliance and Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party).

Earlier this morning, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, cast his ballot at the Gulshan Model School and College polling station in Dhaka.

Yunus, after casting his vote, described the election as a moment of national joy and renewal.

"This is a day of great joy. Today is the birthday of a new Bangladesh. We will celebrate this birthday throughout the day," Yunus said.

"Through today's process, people have rejected the past. Whatever nightmarish past existed, we have completely set it aside. From today, at every step, we have gained the opportunity to build a new Bangladesh," he added.

Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, who cast his vote at the Gulshan Model High School and College in Gulshan-2, said today that the country had been waiting for election day to exercise their right to vote and expressed optimism about the BNP's victory.

"We will prioritise improving law and order in the country so that people feel secure if we can form the government," he said.

In addition to the parliamentary election, the country held a referendum on the National Charter 2025 - a document drafted by the interim government that sets the foundation for future governance.

- ANI