Bangladesh Election: Sheikh Hasina rejects BNP victory, calls vote a ‘sham’
The former prime minister claimed the elections were neither competitive nor reflective of the public will but were instead driven by “administrative manipulation and numerical fraud”.
Also Read | Bangladesh elections: BNP to formally demand Sheikh Hasina’s extradition from India
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party returned to power after twenty years with a resounding victory in the general elections. Led by Tariq Rahman, the party has achieved a decisive mission in what many observers describe as a landmark political moment for the country.
“On February 12, the nation witnessed a pre-planned election of deception and farce that will go down as a shameful chapter in the democratic history of Bangladesh. This was not an election of public will; it was an industrial-scale administrative exercise to manipulate numbers,” Hasina’s statement said.
He accused the interim administration, led by Mohammed Yunus, of managing what he called a “one-sided” and “voterless” process that deprived citizens of their democratic rights.
The statement also said, “The total number of registered voters in this election was 127 million 711 thousand 793. Voting started at 7.30 in the morning and continued until 16.30 in the evening. Serious irregularities were observed both in the conduct of the voting and in the turnout percentages announced by the Election Commission in stages, many of which were inconsistent and unrealistic.”Also Read | Who is Bangladesh’s next leader Rahman and what are his plans?
The Bangladesh Awami League chief demanded that the results be annulled and called for Yunus’ resignation.
He also demanded the withdrawal of what he described as politically motivated cases and the release of political prisoners, including teachers, journalists, intellectuals and professionals.
The Awami League leader also called for the lifting of restrictions on his party’s activities and called for fresh elections under a neutral interim government to “restore the people’s right to vote”.
“Therefore, the demand of 180 million people of Bangladesh today is to cancel this voterless, illegal and unconstitutional election; ensure the resignation of the murderous fascist Yunus; withdraw the false cases and release all political prisoners, teachers, journalists, intellectuals and professionals; lift the suspension on the activities of the Awami League and restore the people’s right to vote by holding a free, fair and participatory election under a neutral interim government.” he said.
Diplomatic ripples from Bangladesh polls
The political change in Dhaka has already begun to reverberate beyond Bangladesh’s borders.
A senior BNP leader stated that the party will seek Hasina’s extradition from India for trial after her official inauguration.
A special court in Bangladesh sentenced him to death in absentia on charges linked to the violent crackdown on 2024 protests that led to the collapse of his 15-year rule.
Hasina, long considered India’s closest partner in Dhaka, remains in India amid growing controversy. His continued presence here has sparked strong reactions in Bangladesh, particularly among protest groups leading the 2024 uprising.
For India, the transition means both uncertainty and recalibration.
Under Hasina, security cooperation was central to New Delhi’s Bangladesh policy, particularly in curbing insurgency activities in India’s northeastern states. During his tenure, many rebel leaders were handed over to Indian authorities, strengthening bilateral relations.
