(Adnkronos) – Security forces deployed in Bangladesh on the day of general elections and the referendum on constitutional reforms. These are the first consultations since the end, two years ago, of the Sheikh Hasina era, and approximately 900,000 units have been mobilized for the occasion. “Differences of opinion are normal in a democracy,” said Nasir Uddin, an election commission official, urging parties, candidates, and voters to behave responsibly.
“With these words in mind – he continued – go to the polling stations in a festive spirit and vote for the candidate you prefer.” The over 43,000 polling stations are expected to close at 11 AM Italian time, according to an election commission source, who stated that the final results of the vote should arrive by tomorrow morning. Spotlight on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, son of former premier Khaleda Zia who died last December, and on the political force’s allies opposed to the coalition of parties headed by Jamaat-e-Islami.
TV images confirmed queues of voters outside polling stations since the early hours of the morning, with an imposing deployment of security forces in the country led by the interim administration headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. After voting in Dhaka, he reiterated to journalists that “from today we have the opportunity to build a new Bangladesh.” “The nightmare is over – he added – A new dream has begun.”
And Rahman insisted on what he claims will be his priority in case of victory. “From the first day of government formation, we will take measures to ensure that ordinary people feel safe,” he said, specifying that he had received reports of irregularities in some areas. For Shafiqur Rahman, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, voting is a “sacred duty.”
The Awami League was excluded from the vote and Sheikh Hasina, forced to flee to India by the mobilization two years ago, was sentenced to capital punishment, also for her role in suppressing the protests, which resulted in 1,400 deaths according to UN estimates.
