Rigging allegations, high turnout in Dhaka: What happened in Bangladesh polls

Bangladesh has commenced its historic parliamentary elections for the 300-seat parliament, marking the first national polls since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in 2024. While voter turnout in Dhaka is reported as high, particularly among women and youth, the process has been marred by allegations of 'night voting' and vote rigging. In Jhenaidah district, a presiding officer was removed after 23 blank result sheets, allegedly signed in advance by polling agents linked to the BNP and Jamaat, were recovered.

Security has been significantly tightened with the deployment of the army, navy, and border guards across 42,000 polling stations. An unidentified voter at a Dhaka polling station described the election as a 'turning point' for the nation, stating, 'For me, for Bangladesh, for UN, for Bangladesh, yes, it is a turning point, and we are fighting for that way, inshallah.' The election features a contest between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, and the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance, amid concerns over minority safety and political stability.