Dhaka, Jan 07, 2024-- In a contentious Sunday parliamentary election marked by violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the ruling Awami League, led by President Sheikh Hasina, secured a landslide victory. The outcome is poised to grant a fourth consecutive term to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Despite reports of widespread violence and inducements aimed at legitimizing the polls, voters appeared to stay away, reflecting initial signs of a low turnout. The Election Commission claimed a voter turnout of nearly 40 percent, but at 3 pm, just an hour before polls closed, the actual turnout was reported to be 27.15 percent. This is a stark contrast to the more than 80 percent turnout recorded in the previous election in 2018.

Jahangir Alam, the secretary of the Election Commission, acknowledged irregularities and announced the cancellation of voting at three centers. Independent election observer and civil society activist Badul Alam Majumder expressed concerns, stating that he did not consider the election a "proper election at all" due to its seriously low turnout, possibly the lowest he had witnessed in his life. His organization did not officially monitor the vote this year.

Amidst the controversy, Sheikh Hasina, 76, urged citizens to cast their ballots, emphasizing faith in the democratic process. However, she labeled the main opposition BNP as a "terrorist organization." Hasina, accompanied by her daughter and other family members, cast her vote at Dhaka’s City College just minutes after polling began.

The electoral landscape is now clouded with questions about the legitimacy of the results, as concerns over low voter turnout, violence, and the opposition's absence cast a shadow on the democratic process in Bangladesh.