Silent, empty polling station
On election day, 7 January, voter turnout was very low at most centers in Dhaka and other major cities. At many centres, no polling agents were seen except those representing candidates using the boat symbol. Even the Chief Election Commissioner himself said after casting his vote that he did not find any agent other than the boat.
Not a single vote was recorded at two centers in Baghaichhari, Rangamati – which became a symbol of the election. Observers also reported that “dummy lines” of people were arranged at the centers to simulate long queues. Allegations of fake voting, snatching of ballot papers, center capturing and blatant stamping were reported from various areas.
During voting, the Election Commission announced voting in three phases. According to its data, 26.37 percent voting was said till 3 pm, although incomplete data was cited. About an hour and a half after polls closed at 4:00 pm, the Chief Election Commissioner initially said turnout was 28 percent; Someone next to him corrected this figure to 40 percent. He then said the turnout would be 40 percent, stressing that it was not final.
The next day, the Commission announced turnout of almost 42 percent – meaning that more than 14 percent of the votes were cast in the last hour alone.
There were no surprises in the results. More than 94 percent of the members of Parliament directly or indirectly aligned themselves with the Awami League, leaving no anti-government voice in Parliament.
Twenty-eight registered parties participated. The Awami League won 224 seats and its independent allies won 59 seats, taking the total to 283 seats. Its ally Jatiya Party won 11 seats, while candidates from the Workers’ Party, JSD and Kalyan Party won one seat each.