AL wins fourth term amid low turnout

The Awami League (AL) secured its fourth straight term in parliament in the 12th national elections, which witnessed low voter turnout, on January 7 (Sunday).

Voting began at 8am on Sunday at 42,024 voting centres and continued till 4pm with 299 parliamentary seats up for election.

A total of 1,970 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, contested the polls.

AL President Sheikh Hasina will serve another five years in office after the AL and its allies won 223 of 299 parliamentary seats contested.

Meanwhile, independent candidates won 62 seats, while Jatiya Party won 11. Kalyan Party, Jasad, and Workers Party each secured one seat.

Out of the heavyweight candidates, Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Matiya Chowdhury, and GM Quader were victorious.

However, the state minister for civil aviation and tourism Md Mahbub Ali, state minister for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Swapan Bhattacharjee, and state minister for relief and disaster management Enamur Rahman lost the polls.

Meanwhile, the 14-Party Alliance lost to independent candidates in four out of six seats they secured from the AL. On the other hand, JaPa lost 15 out of 26 seats secured from the AL.

Questions were raised over the official turnout of 40 per cent, as according to the Election Commission's (EC) data, only 27.15 per cent votes were cast till 4pm.

To prevent irregularities, for the first time in Bangladesh the ballot boxes were sent to the polling centres on the morning of the polling day. However, reports of fake votes, grabbing control of centres, use of force, and kicking out agents were found in many places of the country including the capital.

/KN/