Bangladesh General Election 2024 [Latest Update]

Bangladesh has held 11 general elections since its independence in 1971 to elect members of its parliament, the Jatiya Sangsad. The next general elections (12th National Election) in Bangladesh will be held in January 2024, as announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The elections will be held under the auspices of the 2024 Bangladesh Election Commission, which is the official body responsible for ensuring free and fair elections in the country.

The current Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) is scheduled to expire on January 29, 2024. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, won the 2018 general elections and formed the government. The main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has demanded that the government hand over power to a neutral caretaker government before the next elections. However, the government has rejected this demand.

The upcoming elections are expected to be closely contested. The Awami League is hoping to win a third consecutive term in office, while the BNP is seeking to regain power. Other major political parties, such as the Jatiya Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami, are also expected to field candidates in the elections.

The 2024 Bangladesh Election Commission has a number of challenges to overcome in order to ensure that the elections are free and fair. These challenges include ensuring that the electoral rolls are accurate, preventing voter fraud, and providing a level playing field for all political parties.

The international community is also monitoring the preparations for the elections. The United States, the European Union, and other countries have expressed concerns about the lack of progress in ensuring a neutral caretaker government. They have also called on the government to ensure that the elections are free, fair, and credible.

The upcoming general elections in Bangladesh are a crucial test for the country’s democracy. The outcome of the elections will have a major impact on the future of the country. It is important that the elections are held in a free and fair manner, so that the will of the people is reflected.

Bangladesh Election Date 2024

The 12th National Election of Bangladesh will be held in the first week of January 2024, as announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 7, 2022. The current Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) is scheduled to expire on January 29, 2024, and the constitution mandates that a new election be held within 90 days of the expiration of the current parliament.

2024 Bangladeshi General Election

To win a majority in the Jatiya Sangsad, a party needs to win at least 151 of the 300 directly elected seats.

Leader	Party	Alliance	Last election	Current seats
Sheikh Hasina	Awami League	Grand Alliance	74.63%, 257 seats	261
Khaleda Zia	BNP	12 Party Alliance	13.06%, 5 seats	0
GM Quader	Jatiya Party	N/A	5.22%, 22 seats	23
Rezaul Karim	IAB	N/A	1.47%, 0 seats	0

Bangladesh Electoral system

The Jatiya Sangsad is the supreme legislative body of Bangladesh. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 350 members, who are elected to five-year terms. Of these members, 300 are elected in single-member constituencies through the first-past-the-post voting (FPTP) system, while the remaining 50 are reserved for women and are filled through proportional representation. The number of reserved seats for women has been increasing over the years, from 30 under the 8th Parliament to 45 under the 9th Parliament and 50 under the current 11th Parliament.

Bangladesh Election 2024 Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Awami League	0		0
Bangladesh Nationalist Party	0		0
Jatiya Party	0		0
Islami Andolan Bangladesh	0		0
Bangladesh Islami Front	0		0
Total	0		0
Valid votes	0		0
Invalid/blank votes	0		0
Total votes	0		0
Registered voters/turnout	0		0

Historical Overview of Bangladesh National Elections

The Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh’s parliament, has been elected 11 times since the country’s independence in 1971. The first election was held on 7 March 1973 under the 1972 constitution, The Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a landslide victory. The most recent was held on 30 December 2018.

In August 1975, the Awami League government was overthrown in a military coup. Ziaur Rahman, a general in the Bangladesh Army, became the president of Bangladesh. He ruled Bangladesh as a military dictator until his assassination in 1981. The BNP won the 1979 parliamentary elections, but the results were disputed by the Awami League.

The military stepped in again in 1982, and H.M. Ershad became the new president. He held two parliamentary elections, in 1986 and 1988, but both were marred by irregularities.

In 1991, the first democratic election since 1975 was held. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the election, ending 16 years of military rule.

The BNP again won in 1996 (February) but was boycotted by the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Awami League. The government initially refused to dissolve parliament and hold elections under a neutral caretaker government, but they were forced to do so after public protests and the passage of the 13th Amendment.

The Bangladesh Awami League won the most seats in the June 1996 general election for the first time since 1973 but did not have enough seats to form a majority government. They formed a coalition government with other parties to form a government.

The 2001 Bangladeshi general election was held on October 1, 2001. 1,935 candidates from 54 parties and 484 independents contested for the 300 single-seat constituencies of the Jatiya Sangsad. This was the second election held under the caretaker government concept, which was introduced in 1996. The Four Party Alliance of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Jatiya Party (Manju), and Islami Oikya Jote won the election. BNP leader Khaleda Zia became the Prime Minister.

The Awami League won the 2008 elections, and Sheikh Hasina returned to power as prime minister.

The Awami League won the 2014 and 2018 elections, and Sheikh Hasina became prime minister for a third and fourth time. The BNP boycotted the elections, alleging that they would be rigged.

The Bangladesh elections have been marred by violence and allegations of fraud. The 1991 election was the first to be widely accepted as free and fair. However, the 1996, 2014, and 2018 elections were all marred by violence and allegations of fraud.

Despite the problems, the Bangladesh elections are still considered to be the most democratic process in the country. The elections provide a forum for the people to express their will and choose their leaders.

The next parliamentary elections in Bangladesh are scheduled to be held in January 2024. The Awami League and the BNP are the two main contenders, and the election is expected to be closely contested.

Bangladesh 2024 Elections Latest News Update