Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fifth term in office as her party won more than three-quarters of the seats in parliament, the election commission announced on Monday, after a vote boycotted by the opposition that she described as a “simulacrum”.
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Ms Hasina, in her first reaction after the vote, reiterated that these general elections were “free and fair”. “Anyone who wants to criticize can do so,” she added.
Under his leadership, the country, once plagued by extreme poverty, experienced accelerated growth. But his government is also accused of systematic human rights violations and ruthless suppression of the opposition.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday called on Bangladeshi authorities to “strengthen the foundations of democracy” in the country.
For his part, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed a “historic” victory for Ms. Hasina and “the successful conduct” of the elections.
Ms. Hasina's ruling party, the Awami League, “won the election,” said Moniruzzaman Talukder, deputy secretary of the Election Commission, a day after elections in which voter turnout was low at around 42%.
According to Mr Talukder, Ms Hasina's party won 222 of the 300 seats in this unicameral parliament, a figure revised downwards from the 223 previously announced.
With support from other MPs, particularly allied parties, Ms Hasina could benefit from a larger majority, analysts say.
“This is a one-party parliament,” Ali Riaz of Illinois State University told AFP, adding that “only Awami League allies have been given the opportunity to participate.”
The Jatiya Party, which won 11 seats, is a long-time ally of the Awami League, as are many of the 61 independent candidates, said Mubashar Hasan, a political scientist at the University of Oslo in Norway.
“Black gags”
“This election legitimized one-party rule in the country without any credible and effective opposition in Parliament,” Mr. Hasan added. “Almost all independent candidates who won seats are also part of the Awami League,” he said.
Opposition activists protested in Dhaka on Monday wearing black gags over their mouths to symbolize their boycott of the vote.
The Awami League had virtually no opponents in the constituencies it contested. However, some other parliaments had failed to field candidates, apparently to prevent the unicameral parliament from being seen as an instrument of a single party.
The main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose ranks were decimated by mass arrests, refused to take part in what was described as a “sham” vote.
Ms Hasina, 76, urged voters to go to the polls and called the BNP a “terrorist organization” after Sunday's vote.
BNP leader Tarique Rahman denounced possible “ballot stuffing”.
“A shame”
“What has taken place is not an election but rather a disgrace to Bangladesh's democratic aspirations,” he said on social media from London, where he has lived in exile since 2008, adding that he had seen “disturbing photos and videos.” who supported his allegations.
Human Rights Watch's Meenakshi Ganguly said on Sunday the government had failed to reassure opposition supporters that the vote was fair and warned that “many fear further repression.”
Representatives from China, Russia and neighboring India were among the first to congratulate Hasina, a statement from her office said.
Beijing's ambassador Yao Wen praised the “long-standing friendship” with Dhaka in a statement and highlighted deepening ties during Ms. Hasina's 15-year rule.
The political scene in the country of 170 million, the world's eighth most populous country, has long been dominated by the rivalry between Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the country's founder, and Khaleda Zia, two-time prime minister and wife of a former military leader.
Since returning to power in 2009, Hasina has tightened her control after two elections marred by irregularities and allegations of fraud.
Khaleda Zia, 78, was convicted of corruption in 2018 and is being held in a hospital in the capital Dhaka due to her poor health. His son Tarique Rahman leads the BNP in his place.