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Despite assurances from a group of international observers that Bangladesh's January 7 election was "free, fair and peaceful," officials from several countries have expressed doubts over the credibility of the results.
Bangladesh held its 12th parliamentary elections Sunday, with incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League winning a fourth consecutive term. But many political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, the main opposition, boycotted the election.
The months before the vote were marred by protests that sometimes resulted in violence. A crackdown on opposition activists saw tens of thousands jailed.
A group of international observers invited by Bangladesh's Election Commission that included former U.S. Congressman Jim Bates visited several polling centers in Dhaka as voters cast their ballots. At a press conference after polls closed, they issued glowing assessments of the vote.
"I'd like to say it's a free and fair election already," Bates said before results were announced.
But a U.S. State Department spokesperson told VOA in an email that "The United States Government did not field an observation team for the 2024 Bangladesh Parliamentary elections. The individuals in question were acting as private citizens. ... Their comments do not represent the views of the U.S. government."
Instead, the United States, United Kingdom, and the United Nations released statements expressing concerns about the democratic process in general and the human rights situation.
"The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated," Mathew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement. "The United States condemns violence that took place during elections and in the months leading up to it."
"Respect for human rights, rule of law and due process are essential elements of the democratic process," the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in the statement. "These standards were not consistently met during the election period."
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk noted, "In the months leading up to the vote, thousands of opposition supporters have been detained arbitrarily or subjected to intimidation. Such tactics are not conducive to a truly genuine process."
Türk also urged the Bangladeshi government to create conditions for truly inclusive democracy.
While the Western democratic states and international organizations were largely critical of the election, some countries, including China, Russia and India, were quick to congratulate Hasina.
The Chinese envoy in Bangladesh was the first to congratulate Hasina. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called to applaud her victory and expressed hope for continued close ties with its neighbor.
"Spoke to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and congratulated her on her victory for the fourth consecutive term in the parliamentary elections. ... We are committed to further strengthen our enduring and people-centric partnership with Bangladesh," the Indian prime minister posted on X.
Boycott results in low turnout
The opposition coalition demanded the resignation of the government ahead of the election and the appointment of an interim, nonpartisan government. When the Hasina government refused, the BNP announced a non-cooperation movement against the government, urging the people not to cooperate with the government or participate in the election.
Official figures provided by the Election Commission show voter turnout at 41.8%. However, the credibility of this figure has been questioned by a wide range of international media, observers, human rights organizations, and even by a section of those who contested in the election.
One reason for suspicion is an unusual jump in the turnout numbers. The Election Commission secretary estimated turnout at 27.15% an hour before polls closed. But the final figure provided by the commission was 41.8%. Opponents say the claim that more than one-third more votes were cast in the final hour of voting put the official figure in serious doubt.
In 2018 elections, the voter turnout stood at more than 80%.
One-party rule
Among the 298 officially announced results, 280 seats are secured by the ruling Awami League and so-called independent candidates who are Awami League members. As a result, 94% of the parliament seats will be filled by lawmakers who are members of the ruling party.
Of the 27 parties who fielded candidates in the election, 23 failed to secure a single seat.
G.M. Qader, chairman of the Jatiya Party, which managed to win 11 seats, told a local TV station the elections were held under government control.
"Whoever the government wanted to win, won," Qader said. "I believe this election will not gain credibility."
Professor Ali Riaz, a political analyst at Illinois State University, said in a recent podcast on Global News that Bangladesh is heading toward one-party rule with Awami League holding power and the other parties constituting the opposition in the parliament with the support of the ruling party.
Prime Minister Hasina on two recent occasions referred to the BNP as a terrorist organization, leading to speculation among political analysts and activists that the new government may ban the BNP from politics.