Bangladesh votes in first election since 2024 uprising, Awami League barred

Polling stations across Bangladesh opened Thursday for historic general elections, the first since the July 2024 popular uprising that ended the Awami League's decade-and-a-half rule and sent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina into exile. More than 127.6 million registered voters are eligible to participate in the nine-hour voting process across 42,000 centers nationwide.

Electoral Landscape and Security Arrangements

Fifty-one political parties and over 2,000 candidates, including 275 independents, are contesting for 300 directly elected parliamentary seats. The Awami League has been barred from participation following the uprising that claimed approximately 1,400 lives according to UN figures. Authorities have deployed nearly one million security personnel, including 100,000 soldiers, while CCTV surveillance covers more than 90% of constituencies. Voting in one constituency was suspended due to a candidate's death.

Key Contenders and Constitutional Referendum

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition emerge as principal contenders. The National Citizen Party, formed by young activists who spearheaded the July movement, is contesting in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. Voters are simultaneously deciding on constitutional reforms, including reinstating a non-party caretaker administration to oversee future elections—a key demand of the 2024 movement.

First-Time Voters and Post-Uprising Transition

Nearly 46 million young and first-time voters, many of whom participated in the anti-government protests, represent a significant electoral force. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has led an interim administration since August 2024, when Hasina fled to India. Last November, the former prime minister received a death sentence in absentia for crimes against humanity committed during the crackdown on demonstrators. Results are expected to emerge late Thursday.