Bangladeshis on Sunday began voting in the general elections expected to be won by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the absence of the main Opposition BNP which is boycotting it. Voting began at 8 am local time and will continue till 5 pm (Pics/PTI and AFP)
Updated On: 2024-01-07 02:12 PM IST
Compiled by : ronak mastakar
A total of 119.6 million registered voters are eligible to vote at Sunday's polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country's Election Commission
The voting is being held in 299 out of the 300 constituencies. The election to one seat will be held later due to the death of a candidate
More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties are contesting in the election besides 436 independent candidates
Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, will monitor the 12th general election, which is being held under tight security
More than 7.5 lakh members of law enforcement agencies and security forces have been deployed to ensure law and order during the polls
The election commission said it expected the results to start flowing from early on January 8
Prime Minister Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College polling centre at 8:03 am local time. Her Daughter Saima Wazed also accompanied her
Hasina, 76, has been in power since 2009 and her Awami League won the last election in December 2018. The BNP boycotted the 2014 election but joined the one in 2018
Prime Minister Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) is expected to win for a straight fourth time as the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former premier Khaleda Zia, 78, who is under house arrest as a convict of graft charges, boycotted the polls
