The political atmosphere in Bangladesh has become very tense ahead of the general elections. With this first election being held after the change of government in the country, not only is the fight for power intensifying, but anti-India politics is also coming to the fore. The political equations have completely changed due to the ban on ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. An interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been in power since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. Now it is expected that after the elections Bangladesh will get a full-time Prime Minister.
Awami League banned, political equations changed
Due to the ban on Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League, she has almost been eliminated from the political field. As a result, the electoral contest has become completely concentrated between the opposition forces. This change has sparked a new debate about the direction of Bangladesh’s politics and relations with India.
BNP vs Jamaat-e-Islami
In this election, a big contest is expected between Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tariq Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat-e-Islami’s political agenda has long revolved around minorities and opposition to India. At the same time, BNP has never openly supported India.
Survey shows that BNP is leading, Tariq Rehman can become PM.
The survey of Bangladesh’s well-known newspaper Prothom Alo shows that BNP is clearly leading. According to the survey, BNP can win more than 200 seats, which will bring the party closer to complete majority. Therefore, Tariq Rahman, who has returned from Britain after a long time, is expected to become the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Jamaat’s position is weak, yet it plays an important role in the opposition
The survey also revealed that Jamaat-e-Islami, known for its anti-India stance, appears to be in a weak position. Jamaat led by Shafiqur Rehman is expected to get around 50 seats. However, it can play the role of an effective opposition in the Parliament.
Mathematics of parliamentary seats
There are a total of 350 seats in the Parliament of Bangladesh. Of these, 300 seats are elected directly, while 50 are elected indirectly. According to the survey, Bangladesh Jatiya Party can win about 3 seats, while the remaining seats are expected to be won by independent candidates. Like India, the term of MPs in Bangladesh is also five years.
Yunus appealed for referendum and reform agenda
Meanwhile, Chief of the Interim Government Mohammad Yunus has described the referendum as very important along with the general elections to be held on February 12. He has appealed to the people of the country to vote “yes” in the referendum and support his proposed reform package.
Votes will change the future: Yunus
Addressing senior secretaries and top bureaucrats late on Monday, Yunus said that if a majority of people vote “yes” in the referendum, Bangladesh’s future will move in a more positive direction. He claimed that this would help in eliminating the “misgovernance” prevalent in the country.
Emphasis on 84-point reform package
The Yunus administration has been actively campaigning for the past several weeks in support of a tough 84-point reform package. The interim government believes that public approval in the referendum will pave the way for implementing administrative and political reforms.