INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
An opposition boycott looks set to usher prime minister Sheikh Hasina to a fourth straight term in the Bangladesh election this weekend.The
supporters arrested.Speaking to Agence France-Presse, he said it would be inappropriate to have his party participate in a vote with a
sanctioned Bangladeshi security forces in 2021 over allegations of rights abuses, and other countries have also voiced their concerns about
Awami League party, before campaigning wraps up on Friday.With the ballot outcome all but assured, however, some voters see little reason to
12th general election since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971 are expected to be counted on Sunday evening, with results due early
Women make up almost half of voters, while those casting a ballot for the first time number 15 million.The BNP is not contesting because
Hasina refused to accept its demand to cede power to a caretaker government to run the poll.Troops have fanned out across Bangladesh to
guard the polls, in addition to nearly 750,000 police officers, paramilitary and police auxiliaries
Police stepped up arrests of BNP leaders and workers after deadly protests in late October.The risk of political violence was high, despite
in power, Hasina, 76, has been credited with turning around the economy and the garments industry.But critics have also accused her of
authoritarianism, human rights violations, crackdowns on free speech and suppression of dissent, with some of them being jailed.Her main
rival and two-time premier, BNP leader Khaleda Zia, is effectively under house arrest on graft charges the opposition says have been trumped
him that he denies.The economy has also slowed sharply since the Russia-Ukraine war boosted prices of fuel and food imports, forcing
Bangladesh to turn to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout of $4.7bn last year.With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
