Dhaka: After a prolonged wait of 17 years, the citizens of Bangladesh are heading to the polls on Thursday morning for a historic national election, aiming to reestablish democracy and mandate significant national reforms. Voting commenced at 7:30 am and will continue uninterrupted until 4:30 pm at 42,659 polling stations across 299 out of 300 constituencies, amidst the presence of nearly a million security personnel and another million polling staff.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman are scheduled to cast their votes at the Gulshan Model School and College center in the capital. The Chief Adviser is expected to vote at 10 am, while Tarique Rahman is anticipated to vote between 9:30 am and 10 am. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman plans to vote at the Monipur center at 8 am. However, the election in the Sherpur-3 constituency was postponed due to the death of a candidate.
On this pivotal day, voters will select 299 public representatives from 2,028 candidates, which include nominees from 50 political parties and independent contenders, as they participate in the 13th national election. The eligible voter count stands at 127,298,522 across 299 constituencies, with a gender distribution of 64,620,077 male voters, 62,677,232 female voters, and 1,213 third-gender voters.
Two major political entities, BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, are competing for the public mandate to govern for the next five years. Notably, the Awami League is not partaking in these elections, marking a departure after 30 years, following their boycott of the February 15, 1996, election.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin emphasized the commitment to conducting a peaceful, credible, and participatory election. In a briefing with international observers and journalists, he assured transparency in the voting process and affirmed that any electoral disputes would be resolved in line with legal and constitutional guidelines. Approximately 330 international observers and more than 160 international journalists are covering the election independently.
A new hybrid postal balloting system has been introduced, allowing overseas Bangladeshis to participate through digital registration and postal ballots. This initiative has seen around 0.8 million expatriate voters register. Meanwhile, in-country postal voting is also available for eligible voters.
The election features 2,028 candidates from 50 political parties, with the BNP fielding the highest number of candidates at 291. The elections are also notable for the simultaneous holding of a referendum, a first in the country’s electoral history, alongside the introduction of new voting procedures and enhanced security measures, including the use of CCTV cameras, body-worn cameras, and drones.
Security is a priority, with nearly 958,000 law enforcement personnel, including army, navy, and air force members, deployed to ensure a peaceful election process. Additionally, the movement of certain vehicles is restricted to maintain order during the elections.
The progress of the election will be regularly reported, with results expected to be announced in phases. The Election Commission anticipates that most results will be available by midnight, barring delays from distant polling stations.