2014 Bangladeshi general election
5 January 2014
300 of the 350 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad
151 seats needed for a majority
Turnout39.58% (Decrease47.55pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Sheikh Hasina Rowshan Ershad
Party AL JP(E)
Last election 48.04%, 230 seats 7.04%, 27 seats
Seats won 234 34
Seat change Increase 4 Increase 7
Popular vote 12,357,374 1,199,727
Percentage 72.14% 7.00%
Swing Increase24.10pp Decrease0.04pp
Results by constituency
Prime minister before election

Sheikh Hasina
AL

 Subsequent prime minister

Sheikh Hasina
AL

General elections were held in Bangladesh on 5 January 2014, in accordance with the constitutional requirement that elections must take place within the 90-day period before the expiration of the term of the Jatiya Sangshad on 24 January 2014.

The elections were not free and fair.[1] They were preceded by a government crackdown on the opposition, with Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Opposition leader Khaleda Zia was put under house arrest.[2] There were widespread arrests of other opposition members, violence and strikes by the opposition, attacks on religious minorities, and extrajudicial killings by the government,[3] with around 21 people killed on election day.[4] Almost all major opposition parties boycotted the elections, resulting in 153 of the 300 directly elected seats being uncontested and the incumbent Awami League-led Grand Alliance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina winning a landslide majority. Hasina became the first prime minister in the history of Bangladesh to be re-elected to serve a second term.

The elections were criticized by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and the United Nations.[5] 176 global leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joseph Stiglitz, issued a letter that claimed the election "lacked legitimacy".[6][7]

Background

During 2013 the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its alliance of 18 opposition parties led by three-time former prime minister and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia called more than 85 days of nationwide general strikes and blockades that brought the entire country to a grinding halt. The opposition demanded that the ruling Awami League party led by the current prime minister Sheikh Hasina amend the constitution, dissolve the parliament after their full five-year term ended on 24 January 2014, and then hand over power to a non-partisan interim government or a caretaker government that would be run by technocrats for 90 days. The job of a Caretaker Government of Bangladesh would then be to work in tandem with the Bangladesh Election Commission by helping them to organise, arrange, and oversee the general election held on 5 January and transfer power to a newly elected government. As most of the demands were not met within the stipulated time frame, all opposition parties boycotted the polls.[8] Hasina had offered an all party interim election cabinet government which would include opposition parties till the election but this was rejected by Zia.[9][10]

Date

Ballot paper from 2014 election

Since the ninth parliament's mandate expires on 24 January 2014, according to the constitution of Bangladesh's Article 123(2)(a) requires a general election to be held between 26 October 2013 and 24 January 2014 or rather within 90 days before the expiration of the Parliament.[11] On 25 November 2013, the Bangladesh Election Commission announced that the 10th general election would be held on 5 January 2014.[12][13]

Boycott

Following months of protests, strikes and blockades, the 18-party opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party formally announced a boycott of the election citing unfair conditions for the election.[14] On 3 December 2013, Jatiya Party, led by former president Hussain Mohammad Ershad, also announced its intention to boycott the election. European Union representatives met BNP leader Khaleda Zia and asked her not to boycott the election and to stop the strikes and shutdowns and instead resort to dialogue with the government.[15][16] In a video message, Tarique Rahman, the senior vice-chairman of the BNP called for a boycott of the election saying that "the time has come for all of us to prevent and boycott the 5 January polls. Not for personal interest but for the sake of the country's existence".[17] The opposition had also called for the government to resign so an interim non-partisan administration could lead the country through the election period.[18]

Protests and violence

On the night of 4 December 2013, Jatiya Party leader H. M. Ershad threatened to kill himself after security forces besieged his home following his decision to boycott the election.[19] On 13 December, he was confined to a military hospital following his arrest from his Baridhara residence by security forces. According to the RAB commander, Ershad had been taken there at his own request.[20] Zia was also put under house arrest since 29 December at her Gulshan residence.[2] The Bangladesh Army was deployed throughout the country on 26 December on the request of the election commission to maintain law and order. The army would stay on the streets until 9 January 2014.[21]

On 13 December, Jamaat-e-Islami's Abdul Quader Mollah became the first person to be executed for war crimes relation to the Bangladesh Independence War resulting in violent protests by the Islamist opposition. Two ruling party activists were hacked to death in Kalaroa, while the Jamaat-e-Islami's activists firebombed train stations and blockaded roads. Another person died in clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters in Noakhali, while a driver was killed after the party's activists chased him down. The opposition alliance called for a general strike on Sunday 15 December.[22]

On 29 December 2013 the BNP called for a "March for Democracy" towards Dhaka, in defiance of a police ban, to protest against the election. Zia said: "The government is autocratic and illegal. It should step down immediately".[23] One person was killed by the police in the centre of Dhaka, while a guard was killed in a blast at a train station.[23] Some supporters of the ruling Awami League also clashed with opposition activists outside the Bangladesh Supreme Court.[23][24][25] The BNP accused the police of barring Zia's car from leaving in order for her to lead the march.[25] Thousands of security forces, mainly police, were present to prevent the opposition activists from rallying.[26] Outside of the Supreme Court, police threw hot and coloured water from water cannons to disperse the protesters.[24] Sheikh Hasina, while agreeing with the right of the opposition to protest, said: "You can wage anti-government agitation. But make sure people are not killed by your movement."[27][28] A train was derailed by opposition activists in Gaibandha leading to three deaths.[29][30]

On 30 December, the 18-party opposition alliance announced a non-stop blockade of roads, railways and waterways across the country from 1 January 2014 in order to resist the scheduled election. The decision came after they were barred from holding national demonstrations the previous day. The protest was termed the "March for Democracy."[31] A general strike was called for 4, 5 and 6 January by the opposition parties.

On 3 and 4 January, opposition activists attacked potential polling centres across Bangladesh. They set fire to over 100 centres in Lakshmipur, Rajshahi, Pirojpur, Sylhet, Jhenaidah, Natore, Sirajganj and Brahmanbaria.[32][33]

Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (2014)

At least 18 people died in election day violence after security forces fired on protesters and opposition activists torched over 100 voting centres.[18] In total 21 people died on the day and about 400 voting centers were disrupted.[4] BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists also attacked their Awami League counterparts and Hindus in eight villages under Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila leaving 15 people injured and their houses and shops vandalised and looted. Further, a Hindu temple along with idols inside it were also attacked. The attacks spread through eight villages including Jhakua, Jhardanga, Baniyapara and Mondoppara. Hundreds of Hindus from these villages had fled fearing further attacks. On 7 January, two Hindus temples, Radha Gobind Mandir and Kali Mandir, were burnt by people suspected to be BNP party members.[34][35][36] Fearing rape threats, female members of Hindu families were sent away to their relatives' homes by their families in Abhaynagar of Jessore, Dinajpur, and Thakurgaon.[37] Attacks also occurred in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Lalmonirhat, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jessore.[38]

Crackdown on the opposition

Before the election there were reports of opposition leaders and members being killed and arbitrarily arrested by the police. According to Human Rights Watch and US Department of State, Bangladesh police arrested "thousands" of opposition members.[3]

The government also interfered with opposition parties' organization of political events.[39] In December 2013, police prevented opposition from holding pre-election rallies, citing security reasons. The police also prevented BNP supports from organizing outside the party headquarters.[40]

Often opposition leaders were detained shortly after they announced strikes to protest the elections.[3] In one case, authorities arrested 203 opposition and leaders and activists on 26 December, immediately after the opposition announced it would be holding a "March for Democracy" on 29 December. By 28 December, one day before the rally, the police had arrested more than thousand BNP and Jamaat members.[3] Many of these were released in the evening or after the election.[3] In another case, BNP vice president Hafizuddin Ahmed was arrested immediately after he urged "non-stop demonstrations" until the elections. The police charged him with firebombing a bus in 2013. After the election, he was released.[3]

Khaleda Zia was prevented from leaving her home to attend a rally on 26 December,[3] and kept under house arrest until the election.[2] The government denied Zia was under house arrest. Zia's advisor Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Enam Ahmed Chowdhury were arrested on 29 December.[3]

Media shutdown

Prior to the election, the government restricted opposition broadcasting.[39] In 2013, ruling Awami League shut down TV stations and detained a prominent newspaper editor. The government said the measure was necessary to curb violence, but opposition saw this as politically motivated.[41]

Monitors

As a result of the boycott, the election commission suggested that the Awami League had already secured victory in 127 of the 153 uncontested seats. Similarly, Rowshan Ershad's (wife of H. M. Ershad) Jatiya Party had already won 21 uncontested seats, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal won three seats, the Workers Party won two seats and the Jatiya Party (Manju) won one seat.[42] The E.U., the U.S. and the Commonwealth announced that they would not send observers since they were concerned about the credibility of the election due to the boycott.[43][44][45]

Opinion polls

The ruling Awami League suffered electoral losses when, according to The Economist, the opposition BNP "thrashed the League in mayoral elections in June and July, notably in Gazipur in the industrial belt, hitherto one of the League’s safest constituencies"[46] and polling data showed a plunge in the government's popularity.[47] Similarly, just prior to the election, an opinion poll indicated the incumbent Awami League would lose to the BNP in a direct contest.[48]

In the weeks following the election, a poll was conducted by Democracy International (DI), a US-based organization. They reported that the Awami League did have slightly more support than BNP, but acknowledged that the study's margin of error meant that the results were a "statistical dead heat".[49]

Results

The incumbent Bangladesh Awami League won the election with a safe majority, winning 234 seats. The election was controversial however as the opposition alliance boycotted the election.

As a result of the boycott, 153 of the 300 seats were uncontested,[50][51] of which the Awami League won 127 by default, the Jatiya Party (Ershad) led by Rowshan Ershad won 20, the JSD won three, the Workers Party won two and the Jatiya Party (Manju) won one.[52]

Results of 139 seats, out of remaining 147 seats (which were contested), were released, with the Awami League winning 105, the Jatiya Party (Ershad) winning 13, the Workers Party winning four, the JSD winning two and the Tarikat Federation and BNF winning one each.[52] The remaining 8 constituencies election were suspended due to violence and election took place later.[52] The newly elected MPs were sworn in on 9 January.[53]

As a result of the boycott and violence voter turnout was lower than the previous few elections at only 40% in the 147 constituencies where an election took place, and as low as 22% in the capital, Dhaka.[51][44][54]

PartyVotes%Seats
GeneralReservedTotal
Awami League12,357,37472.1423439273
Jatiya Party1,199,7277.0034640
Workers Party of Bangladesh359,6202.10617
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal203,7991.19516
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation177,4491.04202
Jatiya Party (Manju)124,3890.73202
Bangladesh Nationalist Front107,9900.63101
Bangladesh National Awami Party7,1200.04000
Khelafat Majlish5,7250.03000
Gano Front2,7170.02000
Bangladesh Islami Front2,5850.02000
Ganatantri Party2,0310.01000
Independents2,579,32415.0616319
Total17,129,850100.0030050350
Valid votes17,129,85098.49
Invalid/blank votes263,0371.51
Total votes17,392,887100.00
Registered voters/turnout43,943,18439.58
Source: Parliament, Election Commission, IPU

Reactions

The day after the result, Hasina said that the boycott should "not mean there will be a question of legitimacy. People participated in the poll and other parties participated." However, she also said she offered Zia a role in a new government. "Look, I tried my best, I told you, I offered ministry, I offered to share power with our opposition. I have done as much as I can do but they didn't respond. Now if they realise that they made a mistake in not participating in the election, perhaps then they may come forward to discuss with us or make an offer. If they come forward to discuss with us, they have to leave all these terrorist activities behind because what they are doing it is absolutely killing people, killing police, killing innocent people."[48] Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu added that the turnout did not matter: "What is important is that the people defied violence."[4] BNP Vice President Shamsher Chowdhury said that the low turnout indicated a desire for a new election. "This government must declare this election null and void and we need a new election organised by a non-party government. The government should not waste any more time."

International

  •  United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lamented that the election was neither peaceful nor inclusive.[5] He criticised both the BNP and the Awami League saying they should "resume meaningful dialogue and to urgently address the expectations of the people of Bangladesh for an inclusive political process."[48]
  •  United States: The United States said the election "did not appear to credibly express the will of the Bangladeshi people".
  •  United Kingdom: The United Kingdom expressed "disappointment" at the low voter turnout and criticized acts of violence and political harassment that had taken place.[55]

Media

Dhaka's The Daily Star featured an editorial that called the election in the country's history and that the Awami League won "a predictable and hollow victory, which gives it neither a mandate nor an ethical standing to govern effectively." In similarly criticising the opposition, the editorial mentioned that "political parties have the right to boycott elections. They also have the right to motivate people to side with their position. But what is unacceptable is using violence and intimidation to thwart an election."[18]

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the election, violence continued and the government continued the crackdown on the opposition. Police carried out raids and arrested opposition leaders. Other opposition leaders and members went into hiding, citing harassment by authorities.[56] By 21 January, the government had arrested 7,015 activists and leaders of opposition, and placed a bounty of 100,000 taka ($1,300) on the heads of other protest leaders.[57] Many of the protesters had destroyed vehicles and blockaded roads, and 29 people had died in the unrest.[57]

This led to the 2015 Bangladeshi political crisis.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Riaz, Ali (21 September 2020). "The pathway of democratic backsliding in Bangladesh". Democratization. 28: 179–197. doi:10.1080/13510347.2020.1818069. ISSN 1351-0347. S2CID 224958514.
  2. 1 2 3 Bergman, David; Nelson, Dean (30 December 2013). "Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia 'under house arrest'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Democracy in the Crossfire". Human Rights Watch. 29 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Bangladesh ruling party sweeps violent vote". Al Jazeera.
  5. 1 2 Chowdhury, Syed Tashfin (7 January 2014). "Violent Bangladesh poll 'not credible'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "Over 100 Nobel laureates call on PM to suspend judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus". The Business Standard. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Nazzaro, Miranda (31 August 2023). "Obama, world leaders call on Bangladesh to halt cases against Nobel Peace Prize winner". The Hill. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bangladesh paralysed by opposition strike". Al Jazeera. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Bangladesh PM Hasina proposes all-party election cabinet". BBC News. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "PM calls on BNP to name reps to poll-time cabinet". New Age. Dhaka. 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Hafez Ahmed. "Polls between Oct 26, 2013 and Jan 24, 2014". Daily Sun. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Bangladesh to hold parliamentary elections in January". BBC News. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "National election Jan 5". The Independent. Dhaka. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Bangladesh opposition to boycott elections". Al Jazeera. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "EU envoys urge BNP not to boycott polls". The Independent. Dhaka. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "EU tells Khaleda to not boycott polls". Bangladesh Chronicle. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  17. ↑ "Tarique calls for poll boycott". bdnews24.com. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 "Bangladesh: Ruling Awami League wins election marred by boycott and violence". The Independent. London. 6 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  19. ↑ "Ershad threatens suicide". Gulf Times. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "Ershad led away from home". Gulf Times.
  21. ↑ "Bangladesh: Army deployed ahead of controversial January 5 polls". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 29 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "Bangladesh execution sparks violent protests". Al Jazeera. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  23. 1 2 3 "Bangladesh activists clash with police at polls protest". BBC News. 29 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Awami League cadres attack on Bangladesh Supreme Court with police back up; creates unprecedented mayhem". CNN iReport.
  25. 1 2 "Protester killed during clashes in Bangladesh". Al Jazeera. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  26. ↑ "Police Deploy in Bangladesh for Opposition Rally". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013.
  27. ↑ "Stop killing people: Bangladesh PM Hasina to Khaleda Zia". Business Standard. New Delhi. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  28. ↑ "Stop killing people: Sheikh Hasina tells Khaleda Zia". Jagran Post. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "Bangladesh opposition accused of fatal train derailment". BBC News. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Bangladesh train derailed in protest". The Peninsula Qatar. 28 November 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  31. ↑ "Indefinite blockade in Bangladesh from Jan 1". Business Standard. New Delhi.
  32. ↑ "More polling centres set on fire". bdnews24.com. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Bangladesh hit by general strike on poll eve". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "2 temples torched in Bagerhat". The Daily Star. 9 January 2014.
  35. ↑ "Attacks on minorities trigger protest, immediate trial of perpetrators demanded". Dhaka Tribune. 11 January 2014.
  36. ↑ "32 BNP, Jamaat men arrested". Dhaka Herald. 11 January 2011.
  37. ↑ "Hindus send females away: Males stay back at houses damaged by BNP-Jamaat in 4 districts". The Daily Star.
  38. ↑ "Hundreds of Hindus attacked in post-poll violence in Bangladesh take shelter in temples". India Today. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  39. 1 2 "Bangladesh: 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices". US Department of State.
  40. ↑ Ali Manik, Julfikar; Harris, Gardiner (30 December 2012). "Political Clashes Grow in Bangladesh's Capital". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  41. ↑ "Bangladesh media suffers crackdown". Al Jazeera. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  42. ↑ "Single candidate in 154 seats". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  43. ↑ "Election monitors to boycott Bangladesh polls". Al Jazeera.
  44. 1 2 Barry, Ellen (5 January 2014). "Low Turnout in Bangladesh Elections Amid Boycott and Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  45. ↑ Alam, Julhas (5 January 2014). "Violence, low turnout mar elections in Bangladesh". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  46. ↑ "Bangladesh's volatile politics: The battling begums". The Economist. 10 August 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013.
  47. ↑ "Justice and vengeance in Bangladesh: Swing votes". The Economist. 21 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2013.
  48. 1 2 3 "Bangladesh PM open for talks if unrest ends". Al Jazeera.
  49. ↑ "Awami League will win if elections are held today: poll". Business Standard. New Delhi. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014. The study, conducted by US-based Democracy International a week after the BNP-boycotted the January 5 polls, found that if the elections were fully participatory, 42.7 per cent people would have voted for the Awami League, while 35.1 per cent would have preferred the BNP.
  50. ↑ Last elections IPU
  51. 1 2 Election Commission Bangladesh (2015). "Statistics Report. 10th Jatiya Sangsad Elections (in Bengali)" (PDF). Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  52. 1 2 3 "Repolls ordered in 8 constituencies". bdnews24.com. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  53. ↑ "Newly elected Bangladesh MPs sworn in". Al Jazeera. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  54. ↑ Barry, Ellen (6 January 2014). "Bangladesh ruling party wins after boycotted vote". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  55. ↑ "Baroness Warsi comments on Bangladesh election results". gov.uk. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  56. ↑ Alam, Julhas (9 January 2014). "Bangladesh opposition members go into hiding following violent national election". Toronto Star. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  57. 1 2 "Bangladesh arrests 7,000 opposition activists". BBC News. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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