Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demanded the cancellation of the "voterless, illegal and unconstitutional" election in Bangladesh in her first statement after the polls concluded. The South Asian nation held its first election since the 2024 mass protests toppled Sheikh Hasina's government.
Labelling the elections "deceptive", Hasina said that they were arranged without her party -- the Awami League -- and without voters.
"In this situation, we demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal, and unconstitutional election; the resignation of Yunus", she wrote.
She also demanded the withdrawal of false cases and the release of all political prisoners as well as teachers, journalists, intellectuals, and professionals; the removal of the suspension imposed on the activities of the Awami League; and the restoration of the people's voting rights through the arrangement of a free, fair, and inclusive election under a neutral caretaker government.
She claimed that voter turnout was extremely low and polling stations in Dhaka and other parts of the country were "completely empty of voters".
"According to the Election Commission's briefing, voter turnout until 11 a.m. (within three and a half hours) was only 14.96%. This low participation at the peak voting period proves that the public boycotted and rejected this election without the Awami League", she stated.
The former leader accused interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of disregarding people's voting rights, democratic values and the constitution.
"From the evening of 11 February, this farce began through the capture of polling centres, gunfire, the widespread use of money to buy votes, stamping ballot papers, and taking agents' signatures on result sheets", she claimed.
Hasina said that in recent days, there were attacks, arrests, intimidation and an atmosphere of fear targeting Awami League supporters and minority communities to "forcibly take them to polling stations".
She also highlighted that the number of voters on the voter list, especially in Dhaka, has increased abnormally. Hasina said that the increase is "questionable and unbelievable".
More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in what was the country's first election since Hasina's ouster after weeks of mass protests, dubbed by many as a Gen Z uprising. Hasina fled the country and is living in India in exile while her party has been banned from the polls.
Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is a leading contender to form the next government. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and returned to Bangladesh in December, after 17 years in self-exile in London. Rahman has pledged to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law and revive the struggling economy.
