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| Bangladesh PM Hasina wins thumping victory in elections opposition reject as 'farcical' | Bangladesh PM Hasina wins thumping victory in elections opposition reject as 'farcical' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bangladesh’s opposition has rejected the “farcical” results of national elections officially declared to have been won by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in a landslide. | Bangladesh’s opposition has rejected the “farcical” results of national elections officially declared to have been won by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in a landslide. |
| The Bangladesh election commission said early on Monday that Hasina’s Awami League had won a record third consecutive term, taking along with its allies 288 of the country’s 298 parliamentary seats on offer. | |
| “My congratulations to the Awami League,” said Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the election commission secretariat, in a televised speech, reading the results. | “My congratulations to the Awami League,” said Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the election commission secretariat, in a televised speech, reading the results. |
| Bangladesh election: Sheikh Hasina heads for tainted victory | Bangladesh election: Sheikh Hasina heads for tainted victory |
| Its main rival, the Bangladesh National party (BNP), won just seven seats in the country’s first contested election in a decade, one marred by weeks of violence, the mass arrest of opposition activists and at least 17 deaths of party workers and police on polling day. | Its main rival, the Bangladesh National party (BNP), won just seven seats in the country’s first contested election in a decade, one marred by weeks of violence, the mass arrest of opposition activists and at least 17 deaths of party workers and police on polling day. |
| Allegations of voting irregularities including polling booths inexplicably closing for “lunch breaks”, voters being turned away and ballots being counted unrealistically quickly were widespread. The opposition signalled that it would reject the results even before the polls had closed on Sunday. | Allegations of voting irregularities including polling booths inexplicably closing for “lunch breaks”, voters being turned away and ballots being counted unrealistically quickly were widespread. The opposition signalled that it would reject the results even before the polls had closed on Sunday. |
| Local media published accounts by correspondents who claimed to have witnessed Awami League members stuffing ballot boxes in the presence of police and election officials. | Local media published accounts by correspondents who claimed to have witnessed Awami League members stuffing ballot boxes in the presence of police and election officials. |
| The opposition coalition said several of its voting scrutineers were arrested on Saturday, which intimidated others to stay away from polling stations. Awami League delegates outnumbered those from opposition parties who were completely absent from some of the five booths in Dhaka attended by the Guardian on Sunday. | |
| “We call upon the election commission to declare this farcical election void and demand a fresh election under a neutral government,” said Kamal Hossain, who coordinates an alliance of opposition parties that was hoping to unseat Hasina. | “We call upon the election commission to declare this farcical election void and demand a fresh election under a neutral government,” said Kamal Hossain, who coordinates an alliance of opposition parties that was hoping to unseat Hasina. |
| The opposition alliance would hold a meeting on Monday to decide its next move, Hossain said at a news conference a few hours after the end of voting. | The opposition alliance would hold a meeting on Monday to decide its next move, Hossain said at a news conference a few hours after the end of voting. |
| Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the joint secretary of the Awami League, said the opposition had been “rejected by the people of Bangladesh” and that its refusal to accept voting results was “not unusual”. | Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the joint secretary of the Awami League, said the opposition had been “rejected by the people of Bangladesh” and that its refusal to accept voting results was “not unusual”. |
| “It is their old habit,” he told Reuters. “We thought they would welcome this election for a change. But they could not change their habit.” | “It is their old habit,” he told Reuters. “We thought they would welcome this election for a change. But they could not change their habit.” |
| Bangladesh’s 11th general election was the latest chapter in a history of political unrest for the country that will celebrate the half-century of its existence in two years’ time. The country freed itself in a bloody liberation war with Pakistan that still resonates and defines its political landscape. | Bangladesh’s 11th general election was the latest chapter in a history of political unrest for the country that will celebrate the half-century of its existence in two years’ time. The country freed itself in a bloody liberation war with Pakistan that still resonates and defines its political landscape. |
| Violence is a persistent feature of its politics and the country has alternated between fragile forms of democracy and several bouts of military rule. Its first prime minister, Hasina’s father Mujibur Rahman, was murdered in an army coup in 1975 along with most of the family while Hasina was out of the country. | Violence is a persistent feature of its politics and the country has alternated between fragile forms of democracy and several bouts of military rule. Its first prime minister, Hasina’s father Mujibur Rahman, was murdered in an army coup in 1975 along with most of the family while Hasina was out of the country. |
| For more than two decades Hasina has traded power with Khaleda Zia, the head of the BNP, whose war hero husband was assassinated while serving as prime minister in 1981. | For more than two decades Hasina has traded power with Khaleda Zia, the head of the BNP, whose war hero husband was assassinated while serving as prime minister in 1981. |
| But Hasina has cemented her dominance in the past decade, using the state tools at her disposal to weaken the BNP and its organs, clamp down on judicial and media dissent and mostly check the country’s small but potent Islamist movement. | But Hasina has cemented her dominance in the past decade, using the state tools at her disposal to weaken the BNP and its organs, clamp down on judicial and media dissent and mostly check the country’s small but potent Islamist movement. |
| She has overseen a period of relative political stability that has helped the country’s economy grow at more than 6% each year thanks largely to the garment industry that makes up more than four-fifths of Bangladesh’s exports. | She has overseen a period of relative political stability that has helped the country’s economy grow at more than 6% each year thanks largely to the garment industry that makes up more than four-fifths of Bangladesh’s exports. |
| Analysts say the boom has alleviated poverty but failed to flow into wider society nor translated into more resilient and transparent public institutions, which has led to a popular malaise. Dhaka was brought to a standstill by protests twice this year, in April over the inaccessibility of government jobs and in August by the lack of enforcement of road rules. | Analysts say the boom has alleviated poverty but failed to flow into wider society nor translated into more resilient and transparent public institutions, which has led to a popular malaise. Dhaka was brought to a standstill by protests twice this year, in April over the inaccessibility of government jobs and in August by the lack of enforcement of road rules. |
| Voters under 30 made up one-third of Sunday’s total electorate but labour surveys show around 35% of people aged between 20 and 29 are not working or studying. The Centre for Policy Dialogue, a thinktank, says corruption during Hasina’s term has cost the country more than $2.5bn. | Voters under 30 made up one-third of Sunday’s total electorate but labour surveys show around 35% of people aged between 20 and 29 are not working or studying. The Centre for Policy Dialogue, a thinktank, says corruption during Hasina’s term has cost the country more than $2.5bn. |
| Members of opposing parties clashed throughout election day.At least eight people died in scuffles between party workers, and police shot another three, including an opposition activist who allegedly tried to attack a polling station in the southern town of Bashkhali. A member of an auxiliary security force was also killed by activists from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP), police alleged. | Members of opposing parties clashed throughout election day.At least eight people died in scuffles between party workers, and police shot another three, including an opposition activist who allegedly tried to attack a polling station in the southern town of Bashkhali. A member of an auxiliary security force was also killed by activists from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP), police alleged. |
| Salahuddin Ahmed, a BNP candidate from Dhaka, was stabbed while he was moving around in his constituency. Police said the circumstances of the attack were not yet clear. | Salahuddin Ahmed, a BNP candidate from Dhaka, was stabbed while he was moving around in his constituency. Police said the circumstances of the attack were not yet clear. |
| The capital Dhaka was largely deserted after many workers returned to their villages to cast their votes and vehicles were banned for everyone except journalists and election observers. About 600,000 security personnel were deployed across the country to maintain order. | The capital Dhaka was largely deserted after many workers returned to their villages to cast their votes and vehicles were banned for everyone except journalists and election observers. About 600,000 security personnel were deployed across the country to maintain order. |
| Authorities shut down 3G and 4G phone services to contain the spread of what they called propaganda. Opposition activists said the measure also prevented them from reporting any irregularities in voting. | Authorities shut down 3G and 4G phone services to contain the spread of what they called propaganda. Opposition activists said the measure also prevented them from reporting any irregularities in voting. |
| “I’m getting text messages of forged voting, illegal ballot staffing from this morning every single minute,” Hossain said earlier in the day. “This is an absolute disgrace to our democracy.” | “I’m getting text messages of forged voting, illegal ballot staffing from this morning every single minute,” Hossain said earlier in the day. “This is an absolute disgrace to our democracy.” |
| The Guardian was denied access to three polling stations in Dhaka about 30 minutes after voting closed at 4pm. Presiding officers said that the ballots had already been counted. | The Guardian was denied access to three polling stations in Dhaka about 30 minutes after voting closed at 4pm. Presiding officers said that the ballots had already been counted. |
| Bangladesh’s election commission told Reuters it was investigating allegations of vote-rigging coming from across the country. “Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation,” said SM Asaduzzaman, a spokesman for the commission. “If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules.” | Bangladesh’s election commission told Reuters it was investigating allegations of vote-rigging coming from across the country. “Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation,” said SM Asaduzzaman, a spokesman for the commission. “If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules.” |
| Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, said the election had passed off largely peacefully except for a few isolated incidents. “Yet opposition increase false allegations of irregularities,” he wrote on Twitter. “Trying controversy as opinion polls show landslide for governing party.” | Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, said the election had passed off largely peacefully except for a few isolated incidents. “Yet opposition increase false allegations of irregularities,” he wrote on Twitter. “Trying controversy as opinion polls show landslide for governing party.” |
| Opposition groups said the campaign leading up to Sunday had been the most repressed in the country’s 47-year history. They claim more than 8,200 people opposed to Hasina were arrested and more than 12,000 injured. | Opposition groups said the campaign leading up to Sunday had been the most repressed in the country’s 47-year history. They claim more than 8,200 people opposed to Hasina were arrested and more than 12,000 injured. |
| Hasina is already Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister. A credible win would indicate voters are willing to tolerate the erosion of public institutions and their civil rights in exchange for relative political stability and economic growth that has led to a tripling in the country’s annual GDP. | Hasina is already Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister. A credible win would indicate voters are willing to tolerate the erosion of public institutions and their civil rights in exchange for relative political stability and economic growth that has led to a tripling in the country’s annual GDP. |
| “I believe that people will cast their votes in favour of Awami League to continue the pace of development,” Hasina told reporters in Dhaka after casting her vote. She has said warnings of rampant human rights abuses issued by groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are exaggerations intended to draw funding. | “I believe that people will cast their votes in favour of Awami League to continue the pace of development,” Hasina told reporters in Dhaka after casting her vote. She has said warnings of rampant human rights abuses issued by groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are exaggerations intended to draw funding. |
| Shahedul Anam Khan, a retired brigadier general and opinion columnist, told the Guardian: “Democracy and development [have been] made to appear mutually exclusive, with the ruling party members and MPs going to the extent of rooting for development at the cost of democracy.” | Shahedul Anam Khan, a retired brigadier general and opinion columnist, told the Guardian: “Democracy and development [have been] made to appear mutually exclusive, with the ruling party members and MPs going to the extent of rooting for development at the cost of democracy.” |
| Opposition groups have formed an alliance headed by Hossain, 82, an Oxford-educated lawyer who helped write the constitution and was a close associate of Hasina’s father. | Opposition groups have formed an alliance headed by Hossain, 82, an Oxford-educated lawyer who helped write the constitution and was a close associate of Hasina’s father. |
| Hossain said Hasina had changed while in power. “The urge for power can make someone who’s human into something less than human,” he told the Associated Press in an interview. | Hossain said Hasina had changed while in power. “The urge for power can make someone who’s human into something less than human,” he told the Associated Press in an interview. |
| He has had to distance himself from some elements of the coalition, including former members of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party banned from contesting the polls since 2013, after the high court declared its beliefs were contrary to the secularist principles of the constitution. | He has had to distance himself from some elements of the coalition, including former members of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party banned from contesting the polls since 2013, after the high court declared its beliefs were contrary to the secularist principles of the constitution. |
| The BNP, the most powerful force in the coalition, was accused of perpetrating human rights abuses during its most recent five-year term in power, which ended in 2009. Rights groups, however, say Hasina’s clampdown on dissent has been more systematic and effective. The BNP’s leader, Khaleda Zia, is in prison after being convicted twice this year of corruption. | The BNP, the most powerful force in the coalition, was accused of perpetrating human rights abuses during its most recent five-year term in power, which ended in 2009. Rights groups, however, say Hasina’s clampdown on dissent has been more systematic and effective. The BNP’s leader, Khaleda Zia, is in prison after being convicted twice this year of corruption. |
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