Voting underway for general elections in Bangladesh, 51 parties in fray; long queues at polling booths

Dhaka (The Uttam Hindu): Voting is underway for the general elections in Bangladesh, with 51 political parties contesting for power. Around 127 million voters are expected to exercise their franchise today. Young voters are playing a crucial role in this election, as nearly half of the electorate falls in the 18 to 37 age group. Among them, about 4.57 million voters are casting their votes for the first time.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, is considered the strongest contender for the post of prime minister. His party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is seen as a leading challenger for forming the government. Leaders such as Shifukur Rahman of Jamaat-e-Islami and Nahid Islam of the National Citizens Party (NCP) have also emerged as key faces in the prime ministerial race. Nahid Islam has claimed that an alliance of 11 parties, including Jamaat and NCP, will form the next government.

The elections are also being closely watched from India’s perspective. Political instability has persisted in Bangladesh for a long time, and relations between India and Bangladesh have seen strain in recent years. After the election results, attention will be on which party comes to power and how it shapes relations with neighbouring countries.