After the ruling Awami League's triumph in the January 7 Bangladesh general elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in an unprecedented fourth-consecutive term, took the oath of office on Wednesday. The swearing-in ceremony, presided over by Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, also included independent MPs-elect and newly-elected legislators.
As per the Election Commission's gazette notification published on Tuesday, the Awami League secured a significant victory with 223 out of 298 seats in the recent polls, securing a straight fourth five-year term government since January 2009, following their governance from 1996 to 2001. Sheikh Hasina now officially holds the record as the longest-serving leader in Bangladesh's history.
Additionally, independent candidates claimed 61 seats, while the Jatiya Party clinched 11 seats, and two seats were secured by other AL allies. The Bangladesh Kalyan Party also secured one seat, contributing to the diversification of parliamentary representation.
Despite the victory, the voter turnout stood at 41.8%, and the ruling alliance, led by the AL, secured a sweeping win with 225 seats.
The formation of the new cabinet by the AL is scheduled for Thursday, according to a senior Cabinet Division official.
The elections unfolded amidst widespread violence and the detainment of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders and supporters. The BNP had boycotted the polls after the AL dismissed their request for an independent caretaker government to oversee the elections and had urged citizens to abstain from voting.
Reports from the Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that nearly 10,000 activists were arrested following a violent opposition rally on October 28, 2023. The event resulted in 16 deaths and over 5,500 injuries, according to the BBC. The HRW accused the government of incarcerating opponents affiliated with the ruling AL, a claim that the AL vehemently denies.
(With Agency Inputs)
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