The United States asserts that the elections in Bangladesh did not meet the criteria of being free and fair.
The U.S. State Department expressed its concern regarding the recent Bangladesh elections, echoing the sentiments of various observers that deemed the elections not meeting the standards of being free and fair. They emphasized their worries about reports of irregularities during the voting process and condemned the violence that occurred.
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, secured her fourth consecutive term with her party gaining an overwhelming majority, capturing nearly 75% of the seats. However, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) abstained from participating, resulting in notably low voter turnout.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department stated, “The United States continues to be troubled by the mass arrests of political opposition members and the reported irregularities on election day. Alongside other observers, we share the view that these elections did not uphold the principles of freedom and fairness, and we regret the lack of participation from all parties.”
In unofficial results declared by the Election Commission, the ruling Awami League party secured 222 out of 298 seats. This election marked the 12th since Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971. Concerns have been raised by rights groups, warning about the potential dominance of Hasina’s Awami League, leading to a de facto one-party rule in the nation with a population of 170 million.
Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding figure, assumed office as the prime minister for the first time in 1996. Hasina downplayed the opposition’s decision to boycott the elections, emphasizing her focus on bolstering the country’s economy.
