Polling stations across Bangladesh opened at 7:30 AM Thursday for pivotal elections on 299 seats, spanning 42,779 centers until 4:30 PM. Counting follows, determining the new parliamentary lineup.
This follows 18 months after Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League fell to street protests after 15 years in power. Coupled with an 84-point reform referendum, it promises constitutional overhauls. Of 127 million voters, 44% are young adults aged 18-37.
The Dhaka Tribune notes 127.7 million registered, with 62.88 million women—2.7 million first-timers topping 1.87 million men. Female candidates lag at 83, or 4% total.
Security is ironclad: 958,000 forces deployed countrywide, ramped up in sensitive spots, plus 100,000 troops for order.
Awami League banned, BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami alliance dominate. Tarique Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s son, returned after 17 years, campaigns on employment, safety, and speech rights.
As Bangladesh votes, the interplay of youth energy, gender dynamics, and robust safeguards underscores a nation at a crossroads, ready for renewal.