DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Islamist-led coalition, which lost its chance to form the country’s next government in this week’s polls, submitted complaints to the Election Commission on Sunday, challenging results in 32 constituencies.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman — the scion of one of the country’s most influential political dynasties — celebrated a sweeping victory in the South Asian nation of 170 million after general elections on Thursday.
They were the first polls since a 2024 uprising ousted the autocratic government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The BNP alliance won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, according to the Election Commission.
Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman conceded on Saturday, saying his party would “serve as a vigilant, principled, and peaceful opposition.”
Newly elected lawmakers are expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, after which Rahman is set to become the country’s next prime minister.
But on Sunday, Jamaat officials submitted their complaints.
“We have identified 32 constituencies where our candidates were unfairly defeated,” said senior Jamaat official Hamidur Rahman Azad.
“The election day began smoothly, but the ending was not what we had expected. Fake votes, the circulation of black money (bribes), threats, assaults, and attacks marred the atmosphere.”
Police records show that political clashes during the campaign period left five people dead and more than 600 injured.
But despite weeks of turbulence ahead of the polls, voting day passed without major unrest and the country has so far responded to the results with relative calm.
At least two people were killed in post-poll clashes, while scattered acts of vandalism and assaults were reported in several districts, police said.
Both Jamaat?e?Islami and ally the National Citizen Party (NCP) — formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising — reported attacks on their supporters.
NCP loyalists marched through Dhaka University campus against the BNP on Friday.
Police spokesman AHM Shahadat Hossain said that police were deployed to keep the peace.
“Over 150,000 police personnel were trained to tackle pre- and post-election violence,” Hossain said.
The Election Commission said turnout was 59 percent across 299 of the 300 constituencies where voting was held.
Only seven women were directly elected, although a further 50 seats reserved for women will be allocated to parties according to their share of the vote.
Four members of minority communities won seats, including two Hindus — a population that makes up roughly seven percent in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Islamist-led coalition submits poll complaints
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Bangladesh’s Islamist-led coalition submits poll complaints
- Bangladesh Nationalist Party posts sweeping victory in the South Asian nation of 170 million after general elections on Thursday
South Korea calls for resuming dialogue with North
- President Lee Jae Myung has sought to mend ties with the nuclear-armed North since taking office in June
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week dashed hopes of a diplomatic thaw with Seoul
SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Sunday for dialogue with North Korea to resume, after Pyongyang last week shunned the prospect of diplomacy with its neighbor.
Since taking office in June, a dovish Lee has sought to mend ties with the nuclear-armed North, which reaffirmed its anti-Seoul approach during a party meeting last week.
“As my administration has repeatedly made clear, we respect the North’s system and will neither engage in any type of hostile acts, nor pursue any form of unification by absorption,” Lee said in a speech marking the anniversary of a historical campaign against Japan’s colonial rule.
“We will also continue our efforts to resume dialogue with the North,” he said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week dashed hopes of a diplomatic thaw with Seoul, describing its overtures as “clumsy, deceptive farce and a poor work.”
Speaking at the party congress in Pyongyang, Kim said North Korea has “absolutely no business dealing with South Korea, its most hostile entity, and will permanently exclude South Korea from the category of compatriots.”
But he also said the North could “get along well” with the United States if Washington acknowledges its nuclear status.
Speculation has mounted over whether US President Donald Trump will seek a meeting with Kim during planned travels to China.
Last year, Trump said he was “100 percent” open to a meeting.
Previous Trump-Kim summits during the US president’s first term fell apart after the pair failed to agree over sanctions relief — and what nuclear concessions North Korea might make in return.
