Sheikh Hasina Demands Cancellation of Bangladesh Poll, Labels It ‘Illegal’ and ‘Voterless’

Calling the elections “deceptive,” former Prime Minister Hasina stated that they were conducted without the participation of her party, the Awami League, and without voter involvement.

In her first statement since the election, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demanded the cancellation of the “voterless, illegal, and unconstitutional” elections held in Bangladesh.

The elections were the first held in the South Asian country since Sheikh Hasina’s government fell in 2024 following widespread protests.

Describing the elections as “fraudulent,” Hasina said they were held without the participation of her party, the Awami League, and voters.

“In this situation, we demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal, and unconstitutional election and the resignation of Yunus,” she wrote.

She also demanded the withdrawal of false cases and the release of all political prisoners, as well as teachers, journalists, intellectuals, and professionals; the lifting of the suspension on the Awami League’s activities; and the restoring of people’s voting rights by organizing free, fair, and inclusive elections under a neutral caretaker government.

He claimed that voter turnout was very low and polling stations in Dhaka and other parts of the country were “completely empty of voters.”

He said, “According to the Election Commission’s briefing, voter turnout by 11 a.m. (within three and a half hours) was only 14.96%. Such a low turnout during the peak voting time proves that the people boycotted and rejected this election without the Awami League.”

The former leader accused interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of violating people’s voting rights, democratic values, and the Constitution.

She claimed, “From the evening of February 11th, this farce began, with the seizure of polling stations, firing, large-scale use of money to buy votes, stamping ballot papers, and obtaining agents’ signatures on result sheets.”

Hasina said that in recent days, attacks, arrests, threats, and an atmosphere of fear were created to “forcibly take” Awami League supporters and minority communities to polling stations.

She also reported that the number of voters on the voter list, especially in Dhaka, had increased significantly. Hasina called this increase “suspicious and unbelievable.”

This was the first election in the country since Hasina’s resignation, in which more than 127 million people are eligible to vote. The weeks-long mass protests were described by many as a Gen Z uprising.

Hasina has fled the country and is living in India, while her party has been banned from the election.

Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is a leading contender to form the next government. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of self-imposed exile in London.

Rahman has promised to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law, and revive the struggling economy.