British News Agency

Bangladesh has approximately 127 million voters.

This election is the first since the student-led protests in 2024 ended the 15-year rule of the increasingly autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina.

During the uprising, nearly 1,400 protesters were killed; Hasina is accused of directly ordering the crackdown, but she denies the allegations.

The election race is expected to be between a coalition of 11 parties led by Jamaat-e-Islami, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the National Citizens Party (NCP) founded by young activists who played a key role in ousting Hasina.

Since Hasina's escape, a provisional government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has been governing Bangladesh.

In November, a Bangladeshi court sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity related to the crackdown.

In addition to the parliamentary elections, the country is holding a referendum on the 2025 National Constitution, which was prepared by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, and which will lay the foundation for future governance.