Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s alliance won Bangladesh’s election with a thumping majority, the country’s Election Commission said early on Monday, giving her a third straight term following a vote that the opposition rejected as rigged.

The alliance dominated by Hasina’s Awami League, seen as close to regional power India, won 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared for the 300-strong parliament, the commission said.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the last poll in 2014, won just six seats.

Hasina’s win consolidated her decade-long rule over Bangladesh, where she is credited with improving the economy and promoting development but has also been accused of rampant human rights abuses, a crackdown on the media and suppressing dissent. She denies such charges.

Raising minimum wages for workers in Bangladesh’s massive garments industry, the world’s second biggest after China, could be one of her first tasks after she takes office, party leaders have said. Hasina will meet foreign journalists and poll observers at her official residence later on Monday.

Opposition leader Kamal Hossain said their alliance, the National Unity Front led by the BNP, had called on the Election Commission to order a fresh vote under a neutral administration ‘as soon as possible’, alleging Sunday’s poll was flawed.

At least 17 were people were killed as the vote took place, police said, after a violent campaign season during which the opposition alleged the government denied it a level playing field.

‘The whole election was completely manipulated. It should be cancelled,’ 82-year-old Hossain said at his residence in the capital, Dhaka, late on Sunday. Candidates reported witnessing ballot-stuffing and vote-rigging by ruling party activists, who also barred opposition polling agents from voting centres, Hossain said.

‘We’ve had bad elections in the past but I must say that it is unprecedented how bad this particular election was. The minimum requirements of free and fair election are absent,’ he said.

Hossain said he would meet opposition alliance members on Monday to decide their next step.

Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, called the opposition ‘sore losers making false allegations’.

Rigging investigation

The Election Commission said it was investigating allegations of vote rigging from across the Muslim-majority country of 165 million people. A spokesman declined to say if those probes would affect the election result.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said on Twitter: ‘With serious allegations of voter intimidation, restrictions on opposition polling agents and several candidates seeking a re-poll, there are concerns about the credibility of the Bangladesh elections.’

Hundreds of opposition workers were arrested in the months before the election on charges that the opposition said were ‘fictitious’, and many said they were attacked by ruling party activists, crippling their ability to campaign.

Hasina’s government has denied the accusations and her party says many of its own workers were hurt in attacks by the opposition. Seven ruling party workers and five BNP workers were killed and 20 wounded on election day, police said.

Reuters reporters across Bangladesh witnessed sparse attendance at polling booths and some voters alleged ruling party workers had blocked them from entering booths, saying their ballots had already been cast. Campaign posters of the ruling party dominated streets in many parts of Dhaka.

The Election Commission said it would declare voter turnout figures late on Monday.

This was the first election in which the BNP campaigned without its leader Khaleda Zia – Hasina’s arch rival. The two women have alternated in power for most of the past three decades but Khaleda has been in jail since February on corruption charges that she says are politically motivated.

The Election Commission said it would hold a fresh vote for one seat where the poll was marred by violence. Another constituency, where a candidate died days before the election, will also go to the polls in the next few days.

Lift growth, wages

Hasina’s son Wazed told Reuters on the eve of the election the next government would try to lift Bangladesh’s growth rate to 10 per cent, from 7.8 per cent in the 2017/18 financial year.

He also said minimum wages for workers in the garments industry, which at sales of more than $30.6 billion generates around 83 per cent of Bangladesh’s total exports, would be raised.

‘Can’t say if it will be done immediately but it will be raised without a doubt,’ he said days after protests demanding higher wages.

The government, however, does not want to ‘stay stuck on the garments sector’ but diversify into phone and other electronics manufacturing, he said.

China and India, Bangladesh’s western neighbour that helped it win independence from Pakistan in 1971, are its top two investors.

‘We are open to investment from anyone and everyone. It’s just that the Chinese have been very proactive about investments,’ Wazed said.

‘The West and others should try to compete with them.’ 

AL president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been elected unofficially from Gopalganj-3 constituency as she polled 2,29, 539 votes against her rival BNP candidate SM Zilani who got 123 votes, said Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir won in his northeastern Bogura constituency with a huge margin.

Besides, rejecting the results of the national election, Jaitya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Sunday demanded reelection under a nonparty caretaker government.

He made the demand while speaking at a press conference at his Bailey Road residence after a meeting of Oikyafront leaders.

Dr Kamal said the news of ‘vote robbery’ in a similar fashion reached them from almost all the constituencies. ‘As a result, over 100 candidates of different parties boycotted the election,’ he said.

‘Under the circumstances, we urge the Election Commission to cancel the election of mockery. We reject the so-called results and demand a fresh election under a nonparty caretaker government,’ he added.

Meanwhile, the voting ended at 4:00pm amid allegations of irregularities, including overnight stuffing of ballot boxes and capturing of polling stations, and sporadic violence in different parts of the country, leaving 15 people dead.

Violence

In Noakhali, Nurun Nabi, an Ansar member, was shot dead by some miscreants at Tulachara Primary School polling station of Noakhali-3 constituency, said presiding officer Prof Dr Suchon Chowdhury.

In Chattogram, Ahmed Kabir, 45, an activist of Jatiya Party, was killed in a clash between Awami League and Jatiya Party activists in Banskhali upazila early in the morning.

In Rangamati, Bashir Uddin, general secretary of Kashkhali union Jubo League unit, was killed in an attack allegedly by some BNP activists at Kashkhali union in Kaukhali upazila in the morning.

In Cumilla, Bachchu Mia, 35, a resident of Sundial village in Nangalkot upazila, was killed in a clash between the supporters of AL and BNP in the morning, said district police special branch sub-inspector Mahbub Morshed.

Besides, a rickshaw-puller, Muzibur Rahman, 35, son of Sujat Ali of Muradnagar village of the upazila, was killed in a clash between ruling Awami League and BNP men at Paschim Belashwar village in Chandian upazila.

In Rajshahi, Merajul Islam, 30, son of late Abdus Sattar and an Awami League supporter, was killed in a clash between BNP and AL men in Pakuria Government High School centre in Jahanabad union of Mohanpur upazila around 11am over capturing a polling centre of Rajshahi-3 constituency, said Rajshahi district police superintendent Shahidullah.

Besides, Modasser Ali, 40, organising secretary of Awami League No-8 ward in Panchandar union of Tanore upazila, was killed in a clash between BNP and Awami League men over capturing Mohammadpur High School polling station of Rajshahi-1 constituency, said officer-in-charge Rezaul Islam of Tanore Police Station.

In Tangail, police recovered the body of BNP ward unit president Abdul Aziz, 65, who remained missing since Saturday from Nagda Shimla area in Gopalpur upazila.

In Natore, Hussain Ali, an Awami League supporter, was stabbed to death by his nephew Ratan Fakir following an altercation over casting vote at Samskholsi village in Naldanga upazila.

In Narsingdi, Milon Miah, 35, an Awami League polling agent, was hacked and slaughtered allegedly by supporters of opposition (independent) candidate at Kundarpara Primary School centre of Shibpur of Narsingdi-3 constituency around 12:30 am, said Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Shibpur Police Station.

In Bogura, Awami League activist Azizul Islam, 30, was killed and five others were injured in a clash between AL and BNP activists at Bagil polling station in Kahalu upazila around 11:3am over capturing polling station, said Paikor Union Parishad Chairman Mitu Chowdhury.

In Brahmanbaria, Israil, 19, son of Sayedul Islam of Rajghar village in Sadar upazila, was shot dead and three others suffered bullet wounds ‘in police firing’ during a clash between supporters of AL and BNP at Rajghar Government Primary School polling centre of Brahmanbaria-3 constituency.

In Cox’s Bazar, Abdullah Al Faruque, 25, son of Abul Kalam of Rajakhali union in Pekua upazila, was killed in a clash between BNP and AL men in Rajakhali Government Primary School polling station of Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency around 10am, said Tanzir Hossain, officer-in-charge Pekua Police Station.

In Gazipur, Liakat Hossain, an Awami League leader and former Vice-President of Kazi Azimuddin College Sangsad, was stabbed to death at Harinal in the city.

Quoting Liakat’s brother Ershad Hossain, Samir Sutra Dhar, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said the local activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal stabbed Liakat indiscriminately at a polling centre around 2:30 pm, leaving him critically injured.

Later, he was taken to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

In Sylhet, a local JCD leader was shot to death during a clash over occupying Azizpur Government Primary School polling centre in Balaganj upazila.

The deceased was identified as Sayem Ahmed Sohel, general secretary of JCD upazila unit.

Quoting witnesses, Mahbubul Alam, sub-inspector of Balaganj Police Station, said a group of people swooped on the polling centre around 3:50pm and tried to capture it.

As the rival party obstructed them, a clash broke out. At one stage, Sohel suffered bullet wounds and died on the spot.

In the capital, BNP candidate for Dhaka-4 constituency Md Salahuddin Ahmed was hacked allegedly by ruling party activists when he went to cast his vote at Shyampur Model High School voting centre in the morning.

Meanwhile, 25 Jatiya Oikyafront candidates and one independent contestant have announced to boycott the election, citing various irregularities, including voterigging and capturing of polling stations by ruling party men.

They made the announcement halfway through as they alleged that ruling party men captured polling stations, rigged votes and barred voters from casting votes in their constituencies.