Campaigning begins for national polls in Bangladesh amidst opposition Boycott
Dhaka, Bangladesh — The stage is set for the 12th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh as campaigning officially kicked off following the distribution of election symbols among MP contestants on Monday. However, the political landscape is marked by the notable absence of the main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which has boycotted the polls, leaving the ruling Awami League and independent candidates to dominate the electoral arena.The Jatiya Party, a grand alliance partner of the Awami League, has also thrown its hat into the ring despite earlier indications from party chairman GM Quader that they would not contest under the administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The ruling Awami League, with candidates contesting against a formidable 1,896 opponents, faces the challenge of securing victory in the absence of major opposition parties. Of the candidates, 1,506 are nominees of 27 registered political parties, while the remaining 390 are running as independents, according to Election Commission sources. Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam announced at a press briefing that 347 aspirants withdrew their candidacies by the last withdrawal day, with 61 of them being independents. This leaves a total of 1,549 candidates actively participating in the electoral race. Campaigning officially commenced after the allocation of electoral symbols to candidates by returning officers. The government, in line with the Election Commission's directive, has imposed restrictions on political programs across the country, allowing only electioneering activities until the polling day. Meanwhile, the Awami League has strategically left six seats for its 14-party alliance partners and 26 for the Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament. Biplob Barua, the Awami League Office Secretary, announced that candidates for these 32 seats have withdrawn their candidature, with the ruling party now contesting for 263 seats. Barua also shared the seat allocations, stating that the Awami League has designated Bogura-4, Rajshahi-2, Kushtia-2, Barishal-2, Pirojpur-2, and Lakshmipur-4 for its alliance partners, including three seats for Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, two for the Workers Party of Bangladesh, and one for Jatiya Party (Manju). Comparisons with previous elections reveal a fluctuating landscape. In the 2018 general election, the number of valid candidates stood at 1,841 after 670 candidates withdrew, involving 39 political parties, including the Awami League and the BNP. In 2014, amid a boycott by the BNP and other opposition parties, only 12 political parties contested, with 335 candidates withdrawing their candidature and 153 MPs getting elected unopposed. The evolving dynamics of Bangladesh's political scene add intrigue to the unfolding electoral saga.
