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Peaceful polling in Bangladesh

DHAKA: After a gap of seven years, people of Bangladesh on Monday walked to the polling stations to cast their vote for electing the nation’s ninth Parliament. Counting of votes began soon after polling ended at 4 p.m.

Initial trends suggested an advantageous position for the Hasina-led Grand Alliance. However, a clear picture will emerge only on Tuesday.

The day, declared a holiday, was peaceful except for a few incidents of violence. A festive mood prevailed in all the 299 constituencies.

The voters, overwhelmingly women, queued up from 8 a.m., hoping for a peaceful return to democracy after almost two years of emergency rule.

Political observers saw the election as a remarkably peaceful one in the country’s 38-year history. A total of 8,10,58,698 voters, including 4,12,36,149 women, exercised their franchise uninterrupted for eight hours in over 35,000 polling stations across the country.

A total of 1,555 candidates from 38 political parties, including 148 independents, were in the fray. The major contenders for power are the two former Prime Ministers – Bangladesh Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia.

Sheikh Ms Hasina led the Grand Alliance of secular forces and Ms Khaleda Zia the Islamic alliance of four parties.

While a change from “corruption and terrorism” was the central theme of campaign by the Grand Alliance, the Khaleda Zia-led alliance’s slogan was “save country, save people.”

Sheikh Hasina alleged irregularities in certain areas by her opponents, but pointed out that after many years the country was marching towards democracy.

“Overall, I am happy because people are voting in a free environment,” she said, adding, “Whatever is the outcome, all should accept the verdict.” She also hoped that the outcome would go in favour of her party and alliance.

A confident Ms Khaleda Zia, after casting her vote in a Dhaka cantonment polling station, showed the victory sign to journalists accompanying her.

She said if the election was free and fair, “we will win with a big majority.”

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