Awami League’s victory in parliamentary elections is the victory of the people: Sheikh Hasina – Dainik Savera Times

Dhaka. Awami League (AL) president and newly elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described her party’s victory in the country’s parliamentary elections as a ‘victory for the people’ and said Bangladesh has set an example of holding a free, fair and neutral election. In the 12th general election, Hasina’s party won a landslide victory with a two-thirds majority, allowing the AL-led 14-party coalition to form the government in Bangladesh for the fourth consecutive time. Speaking to foreign journalists and election observers, he said, ‘We have set an example that elections can be free, fair and neutral. You (observers and journalists) have come and seen how people vote in our country.

Hasina said that her victory in the general elections is the victory of the people, because through this election the people’s franchise and power to choose the government has been implemented in a fair manner. He said that the people of the country have voted for his party in this election, where many independent candidates and some contenders from other parties have also been elected.

Noting that people have chosen her party by voting for her in large numbers, Hasina said, ‘As you saw, we have taken all kinds of measures to conduct the elections in a fair manner.’ Pointing to the atrocities committed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), he said the BNP did not participate in the elections because they were afraid of contesting the elections directly. “The party which was founded at the hands of military dictators cannot act on its own,” he said. They do not have public support, hence, they are afraid of direct elections. The landslide victory has paved the way for Hasina to lead the government as prime minister for the fifth time and win the election for the fourth consecutive time.

The Election Commission (EC) has so far unofficially announced the results of 298 parliamentary seats out of 300. Despite insurgency and boycott by the opposition BNP and like-minded parties, candidates nominated by the Awami League and its independent candidates won most of the constituencies. According to official data released by the Election Commission on Monday, AL won 286 out of 298 seats across the country. Eleven candidates from the Jatiya Party and three candidates from the Workers’ Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Bangladesh Kalyan Party also won.

In Dhaka district, AL candidates won 16 out of 20 seats. The other four seats were won by independent candidates of AL. Gopalganj, the birthplace of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is considered the political fort of AL. Ruling AL candidates, including party president Sheikh Hasina, won all three seats in Gopalganj. In Faridpur, AL candidates won three out of four seats, while independent candidate A.K. Azad defeated an AL candidate. Azad is also a former AL leader.

In Ghazipur, AL candidates won four out of five seats, and another AL leader, who contested as an independent candidate, defeated former state minister Mehar Afroz Chumki. In Tangail, AL candidates won seven out of eight constituencies, and former AL presidium member and former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui contested as an independent candidate and defeated a party candidate in Tangail-4 constituency. Of the six constituencies in Rangpur district, AL candidates won three seats with the boat symbol, while independent candidates of AL won against party candidates in two other seats.

In Dinajpur, AL candidates won five out of six seats, and the independent candidate who defeated the AL candidate in Dinajpur-1 constituency is the Birgunj Upazila Awami League president. In Lalmonirhat and Pabna, AL candidates won in all the constituencies. In Natore, AL candidates won two out of three seats. On Natore-1 seat, the District AL Vice President contested as an independent candidate and defeated the AL candidate.

In Jamalpur, AL candidates won three out of five seats, and in Jamalpur-4 constituency, the AL-nominated candidate lost to another party leader who had contested as an independent candidate. Similar election results were also seen in Mymensingh, Netrokona and Branbaria. On the other hand, AL candidates won consecutively in Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban hill districts.

Earlier on Sunday, polling in Nagaon-2 constituency was postponed due to the death of an independent candidate. The Election Commission will announce the result of Mymensingh-3 constituency later on Tuesday after polling was postponed at one centre.