AL wins fourth successive term

Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a fourth successive term in office, winning the 12th parliamentary polls by a predicted landslide in absence of the country’s main opposition BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) in the election.

With official declaration of Sunday’s election results pending, unofficial counts show that the ruling party has already got 153 seats under its belt this time till filing this report at 11:00pm.

Out of a total of 200 unofficial parliamentary seat results, the independent candidates came out victorious in not less than 40 parliamentary seats with GM Quader-led Jatiya Party winning seven merely.

BNP, the main opposition party that has been out of power for 17 years, had declared to boycott the general election beforehand this time after doing the same in the 10th parliamentary polls in 2014.

Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at night on Sunday congratulated the voters for, what he said, boycotting the national elections.

"...People have boycotted this dummy election of the government," Rizvi said at a virtual press conference.

"The government is using the state machinery to perpetuate the power by ruthlessly torturing the opposition political parties including the BNP," he said.

"Awami League can never hold a fair election. They always choose vote rigging," he added.

Rizvi said that the voters heeded the BNP's call to boycott the elections.

However, the Election Commission (EC) disagrees on this notion. Instead, the EC has expressed its happiness over the voter turnout in the polls. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal estimates that 40% of the votes have been cast. However, he added, it's not definite. The precise number is yet unknown.

The CEC added that this could lead to a minor variation in voter participation. Voter turnout could increase or decrease after all the counting.

Prior to this, media were informed by Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam that the vote count was 26.37 percent till the afternoon.

He also warned that there might have been some manipulation at that point, because not all locations had access to information.

'Polls acceptance to people is important'

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier on Sunday urged the voters to exercise franchise to continue country's democracy, saying she doesn't bother who accepted the election or not as polls acceptance to people is only important issue.

In the morning, she cast her vote at Dhaka City College in the capital. She was accompanied there by her daughter Saima Wazed Putul and sister Sheikh Rehana.

She came to the polling centre before 7:55am amid tight security. Putul also voted there.

Dhaka City College centre falls under Dhaka-10 constituency comprising Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, New Market and Kalabagan thanas.

Dhalywood actor Ferdous Ahmed who is contesting the polls on the Awami League ticket from Dhaka-10 constituency welcomed the premier at the centre.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, said that there were so many obstacles and hurdles, but the people of the country have been cautious about their voting rights, and election was urgently necessary.

"I have to prove credibility. Right, but, to whom, a terrorist party? A terrorist organisation? No, I have my accountability to my people. (I think) whether the people accept the election or not, and that is important to me," she said.

"We have more work ahead of us. We want to complete them. We hope the boat will win and once again we can form government with the support of the people and materialise the status of a developing country that we have got," she said.

She said that she has faith in people.

"I am definitely optimistic because the people of the country are with me. Inshallah we will win," she said flashing a victory sign.

‘Triumph for democracy’

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has urged his party men to remain vigilant until the final declaration of the polls result.

While addressing the media from the AL’s Tejgaon office immediately after the voting ended on Sunday, he expressed confidence that their electoral symbol, the boat, would emerge victorious in this election.

Terming the election day as a triumph for democracy, Quader said, "Based on the election results gathered from various sources, it is evident that Awami League is poised to secure a majority of seats. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will undoubtedly be sworn in once again as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh."

PM Sheikh Hasina's administration, he said, has demonstrated how to conduct a free, fair, and credible election under a partisan government in Bangladesh.

While desiring a violence-free election, Quader said there were 37 scattered incidents of violence across the country. Despite these heinous acts, Quader expressed gratitude to the voters, noting that amidst the violence, 40% of voters cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua on Sunday said that the turnout of voters in the 12th parliamentary election was satisfactory despite the terrorism and anti-election activities of the BNP.

"Despite BNP's anti-election propaganda and attempts to create panic among the public, the voter turnout across the country is satisfactory,"
Earlier in the day, Obaidul Quader said the election cannot be stopped by obstruction. 

“The anti-election movement has also failed, they will be defeated even if they burn people by setting fire to trains. Elections cannot be stopped by obstruction,” he said.

No victory procession this time

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, directed its leaders and activists not to bring out any victory processions after the declaration of election results.

Deputy Office Secretary of the AL Sayem Khan informed the journalists about the PM's direction.

The AL chief also instructed the partymen not to engage in any kind of violence or conflict.

PM to exchange greetings with journalists today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a post-election press conference at the Gono Bhaban at 3:00pm on Monday (today).

Hasina, also the Awami League president, will brief local and foreign journalists and observes at the press conference.

Awami League Office Secretary and Prime Minister's Special Assistant Biplob Barua confirmed the information to the journalists in the evening.

Apart from delivering a prepared speech, the premier will answer various questions of local and foreign media personnel and foreign observers about the election.

Foreign observers hail EC for conducting fair election

International observers including those from US, Canada and Russia, who witnessed the 12th national election of Bangladesh on Sunday, termed the polls as free, fair, peaceful, successful and legitimate.

“I found the election as very peaceful, free, and fair,” said Jim Bates, US member of Congress, at a press conference at a city hotel on Sunday.

A good number of foreign observers who visited different polling centres in the capital and adjacent districts shared their experiences at the press conference.

The foreign observers who spoke at the press conference were members of the central election commission of the Russian Federation Andrey Y SHUTOV, CEO of central election commission, Palestine, Hisham Kuhail, Mohamadou Musa Njie of the Gambia High Commission, Scottish MP Martyn Day, head of election unit, OIC Shakir Mahmood Bandar, member of Arab Parliament Abdihakim Moalliam, executive director of South Asia Democratic Forum Paulo Casaca, Victor OH and Chandrakanth Arya of Canada.

CEO of American Global Strategies Alexander B Gray while sharing his experiences after visiting 10 polling centres said: “I saw with my own eyes   that the election was free and fair which was professionally administered having high degree of enthusiasm from the voters, polling staffs and others concerned.”

He said not a single voter or anyone expressed their concerns and complaints to him.

“This election met the highest standards of democratic accountability and professionalism and I’m very much convinced that the Election Commission has operated professionally with integrity,” he added.

Voter turnout relatively higher in rural areas compared to Dhaka

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said voter turnout is relatively higher in rural areas compared to Dhaka, and expressed optimism over healthy turnout of voters as the day progresses.

"I couldn't cast my vote for many years as I was abroad. My father used to come with my mother. As my father passed away few years back, I came here to cast my vote with my mother," he told reporters after casting his vote at the Teachers Training Centre under Dhaka-10 constituency.

Responding to a question, the Foreign Secretary said foreign observers are monitoring the polls since this morning and they are willing to share their impressions after voting is completed.

Over 127 foreign observers are monitoring the polls apart from journalists from overseas.

"So far, the environment is peaceful," he added.

The Election Commission is confident about holding the election through a transparent process, the Foreign Secretary said.

Turnout is a key factor but it needs to be seen whether the entire process was transparent and smooth, he said.

Asked about Western countries' impression over the possible low voter turnout, the Foreign Secretary said it is for them to consider.

"If there is healthy turnout, it will go in favor of the election and its credibility," he said.

The Foreign Secretary also said the foreigners who interacted with him personally expressed their concerns over the deaths of people in arson attacks on trains.

The foreign observers and some of the diplomats are monitoring the polls as well, he noted.

With 119.6 million eligible voters, the country witnessed much fanfare throughout the day. The situation at most of the polling centres in Dhaka and outside the capital city was peaceful, except allegations of sporadic violence at few centres.

As many as 299 out of the 300 parliamentary seats were up for election that took place across Bangladesh from 8am to 4pm, and early results last evening had indicated landslide victory for the ruling AL.

Elder daughter of the nation’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, a 76-year-old charismatic leader, succeeded in earning the victory, fighting odds like continuous accusations of her ‘authoritarianism and eroding democracy’ coming from her arch-foes.

Sheikh Hasina, whose able leadership first brought the AL back to Bangladesh’s state power back in 1996 after a 21-year hiatus, also saw the party making a comeback in 2008 and then again in 2014 and 2018. This time too, she has promised establishing a non-communal, smart Bangladesh that is free of hunger, poverty and illiteracy.