NEW DELHI: Bangladesh goes to the polls on December 30 amidst charges that the country’s election commission was biased in favour of the ruling Awami league, led by Sheikh Hasina Wajed. Officials in New Delhi declined to comment saying the polls were an internal matter, and noted that India was sending three observers at Dhaka’s request. Unofficially, however, many expressed hope that Sheikh Hasina returns to power for a third consecutive term.
Since Independence in 1971, two parties — Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Khaleda Zia— have dominated the national politics. The BNP and other opposition parties boycotted the elections in 2014 amidst widespread violence, allowing the Awami League to sail back to power.
Khaleda Zia, who faced several charges of corruption, was jailed in February and barred from contesting election. A recent survey conducted by a regional NGO predicted that Hasina’s Grand Alliance is likely to win as many as 248 seats. Shrugging off speculation that India was putting all its eggs in Hasina’s basket, an official said: “Honestly, what choice do we have? We have a positive relation with Hasina’s government... Khaleda Zia is imprisoned and is known for her anti-India rhetoric.”