Bangladesh’s first post-uprising election is a test for democratic norms and minority rights

Bangladeshis will vote on Thursday in crucial national elections for the first time since the mass uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. After more than a decade of disputed elections and shrinking political space, public expectations are high that voting can help reset democratic norms.

The transition is being overseen by an interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammed Yunus, who has promised a fair vote.

Here’s what you need to know about polls in Bangladesh.

The election is being followed closely

More than 127 million voters will participate in the new Parliament election in the country with a population of approximately 170 million, and 1,981 candidates will compete for parliamentary seats across the country. The administration led by Yunus stated that it is determined to hold the elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner. To help ensure this, around 500 foreign observers will be present, including the European Union and the Commonwealth to which Bangladesh belongs.

The vote also introduces an important procedural change. Bangladeshi citizens living abroad will be able to participate through the postal voting system for the first time. The move is intended to expand electoral participation by including the country’s large foreign population.

Bangladesh’s national legislature consists of 350 members of parliament. Of these, 300 are directly elected from single-member constituencies, while an additional 50 seats are reserved for women. Elections are held on a first-past-the-post system, with each Parliament serving a five-year term.

Polls are a test for Bangladesh’s democracy

The elections will also include a referendum on political reforms that include prime ministerial term limits, stronger checks on executive power and other measures that prevent the consolidation of parliament’s power.

Whether the process delivers genuine institutional reform or continues to bolster existing power structures will shape the internal stability of Bangladesh, which has been marked by periods of military rule and weak democratic structures since independence from Pakistan in 1971.

“Bangladesh’s future is in the hands of its citizens and elected leaders to ensure the country’s stability as a rights-respecting democracy,” said Catherine Cooper, staff attorney at the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Center for Human Rights.

He said it was critical that the newly elected government “prioritize and protect civil society, the press, political opposition, and civic space by allowing all citizens to speak without fear of repression.”

The election results will also serve as an important test of whether popular youth protest movements can translate into lasting democratic change. Approximately 5 million people are new voters and will vote for the first time.

Zia’s son expected to leave his mark

Bangladesh’s political landscape has revolved around two rival dynasties for decades. On one side is the Awami League, led by Hasina, the daughter of the country’s founding president. Opposing this is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, currently led by Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The person who died in December.

With the Awami League banned, the BNP emerged as a frontrunner, positioning Rahman as the leading candidate.

Rahman returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of self-exile and vowed to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law and revive the economy.

Challenging the BNP is a broad coalition of 11 parties led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, which aims to expand its influence in national politics. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina’s rule but has gained influence since her ouster.

The alliance also includes the newly formed National Citizen Party, created by the leaders of the 2024 uprising.

First elections without Hasina in decades

The election will be the first since the ouster of Hasina, who currently lives in exile in India. He was sentenced to death in absentia last year by a special court led by Yunus. The charges against him relate to crimes against humanity related to the deaths of hundreds of people during the 2024 uprising.

Hasina condemned the case, calling it a “kangaroo court”. In an interview with The Associated Press while in exile in India, he condemned the decision to prevent his party from participating in the elections.

During Hasina’s rule, elections were widely criticized by opposition parties and rights groups as unconvincing.

Minority Hindus feel intimidated

An increasingly pressing concern in Bangladesh is the growing importance of hard-line groups. Its effects have raised alarms about the rights and safety of women and religious minorities. Minority communities, particularly Hindus, report increased incidents of intimidation and violence, deepening fears about their place in the Muslim-majority country.

There are growing concerns that the Islamist coalition could use these tensions to reestablish its political influence.

90 percent of Bangladesh is Muslim and 8 percent is Hindu.