Bangladesh votes in rural council elections amid fear of violence

The largest opposition party is boycotting the vote, saying the contrasting political climate is preventing fair participation.

Village council elections are being held in Bangladesh which are certainly meant to further strengthen the ruling party’s power, but have raised concerns about the state of democracy in the South Asian nation.

The largest opposition party is boycotting Thursday’s elections, saying the contrasting political climate is preventing fair participation.

There were widespread allegations of misconduct in the last two national elections, and political violence has affected previous votes in Bangladesh, especially for rural councils.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Hooda on Thursday warned against poll violence ahead of polling and said security measures were being put in place to deal with any possible incident.

At least nine people have been killed and hundreds injured in campaign violence ahead of voting this month.

According to the Dhaka-based rights group Ain-o-Salish Centre, 85 people have been killed and more than 6,000 injured in election-related violence since January.

Supporters campaigning for an independent candidate during an election rally in Srinagar, Munshiganj district, Bangladesh [Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP]

More than 10.5 million eligible voters will elect representatives to 835 councils after proceedings are adjourned over irregularities or violence in some places.

A total of 4,571 councils, known as Sangh Parishads and which are locally responsible for community development and public welfare services, are being contested in phases.

In the first phase in June, elections were held for 204 councils, in which 148 candidates from the ruling party won and the rest were independents.

Analysts say Thursday’s election is an opportunity for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Awami League party to consolidate its position ahead of the next general election due for 2023.

Despite allegations of vote rigging and manipulation, his party won the last two general elections, 2014 and 2018.

Since 1991, when Bangladesh returned to a democratic system, in the 2008 elections, Hasina and former prime minister Khaleda Zia of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party have ruled the country in turn.

Hasina’s landslide victory in 2008 was the last national election to be acknowledged as free and fair, and Zia’s party has boycotted several elections since then.