World | Other World Stories
Strong voter turnout in Bangladesh parliamentary election
Bangladeshis voted on Monday in a largely peaceful election many rated more honest and fraud-free than those in the past, but it remained to be seen if the losers would accept the results.
- Agencies
- Published: 08:14 December 29, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- Bangladeshis form long lines at polling stations as voting began Monday to choose a new prime minister.
Dhaka: Bangladeshis voted on Monday in a largely peaceful election many rated more honest and fraud-free than those in the past, but it remained to be seen if the losers would accept the results.
The vote was a return to democracy for the South Asian country after two years of emergency rule imposed by an army-backed government.
It took over in January 2007 amid widespread street violence between supporters of rival parties and cancelled a poll due that month.
"The election ended in a very peaceful environment and I never saw such a congenial atmosphere. The turnout was tremendous," Taleya Rehman, executive director of monitoring group Democracywatch, told reporters.
The leading election candidates pledged strong action to crack down on violent extremists, and made populist promises to contain prices and promote growth in a country where 45 percent of the people are below the poverty line.
An alliance led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League had the edge in the vote for 300 parliament seats, most observers said.
Related Links
Others predicted neither she nor rival and fellow ex-PM Begum Khaleda Zia would win an outright majority in a country where parties are based more on personality than rigid ideologies.
Significant results are not expected before early Tuesday.
"We have waited so long ... but (are) feeling good the election is held at last," Hasina said after casting her vote.
Khaleda, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said: "If the election is free and fair, Inshallah (God willing) we will win and form the next government."
In Dhaka, cheerful voters waited up to an hour in line to cast ballots, while others who were finished stayed on the streets to chat. Men and women, many of the latter in brightly coloured saris and head scarves, voted at separate sites.
"This time the mood is different," Mariam Faruqui said as she waited in the voting line.
"Other times there were very (many) illegal votes" and some people were scared to support the candidates they really wanted, the 50-year-old gynaecologist said.
More than 81 million Bangladeshis were eligible to vote, using picture IDs introduced for the first time in the country.
Counting was due to begin on Monday evening, but results may not emerge until Tuesday.
Turnout was heavy in an almost festive atmosphere and a clash between supporters of rival election candidates erupted in Madaripur district, injuring at least a dozen people, police said.
Police said the fight broke out between backers of independent and Awami League party candidates but that it was under control.
Bangladesh has deployed 50,000 troops, 75,000 police and 6,000 members of its elite Rapid Action Battalion along with other auxiliary forces for security.
More from Other World Stories
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
Ukraine leaders fight over Russian language
Violence erupts in Ukraine parliament over a bill to allow use of Russian language in courts, hospitals
-
CBSE: 100% success in many UAE schools
6,000 students from 53 schools meet grade expectations in examinations
-
'I can’t believe he is not going to come back'
Seventeen-year-old boy went missing in Dubai during a visit from Pakistan
