Mohiuddin Alamgir

The political atmosphere heats up ahead of the start of formal electioneering, with major parties alleging that the Election Commission and the administration are selectively enforcing rules against their candidates.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, which aimed at mobilising Islamist votes, is set to have a negative effect on the alliance’s “one-box policy”.

The Election Commission’s first-ever initiative to digitally register Bangladeshi expatriates and allow them to vote through postal ballots has sparked controversy, with the BNP raising concerns over the process.

The last three national elections were orchestrated at the highest levels of the state, with segments of the administration, police, Election Commission, and intelligence agencies mobilised to implement the plans, the inquiry commission on those polls said.

They grew up hearing that voting was their right, only to watch how easily that right could be snatched away in elections widely criticised as “sham polls”.

Inclusion of NCP in alliance further complicates calculation

Women remain largely absent from the electoral race, with 30 of the 51 political parties contesting the upcoming national election fielding no female aspirants at all, Election Commission data shows.

BNP’s fight in the national election is shaping up on two fronts: against rival parties outside and against rebel contenders within, threatening to split its vote base.