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Bangladeshi General Election
December 30, 2018
The next Bangladeshi general election will elect the members of the Jatiya Sangsad, the parliament of Bangladesh, on a date to be determined, currently planned either for the third or last week in December.
Barring exceptional circumstances, the Constitution of Bangladesh requires that the elections take place within the 90-day period before the expiration of the term of the Jatiya Sangsad. The current Sangshad first sat on 29 January 2014, so in accordance with article 123(2)(a) of the Constitution, the next election is expected be held on a date between 31 October 2018 and 31 December 2018. Snap elections can be held under certain conditions, such as if a government loses a confidence motion or resigns by dissolving parliament.
Seats, of total, by party
The previous general elections, which took place in 2014, were boycotted by the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. As a result, the Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a walkover, with its candidates declared victors in 127 of the 154 uncontested seats by default. Of the remaining uncontested seats, the Jatiya Party led by Rowshan Ershad won 20, the JSD won three, the Workers Party won two, and the Jatiya Party (Manju) won one.
As a result of violence and the opposition boycott, voter turnout was only 22%. Results of 139 seats out of 147 were released, with the Awami League winning 105, the Jatiya Party winning 13, the Workers Party winning four, the JSD winning two and the Tarikat Federation and BNF winning one each. The remaining 8 constituencies election were suspended due to violence and re-election to be held. The newly elected MPs were sworn in on 9 January. Recentlyt the BNP has stated that it is ready to return and stand in the next general election if the current parliament is dissolved and the election commission consists of non-partisan members. Furthermore, Jatiya Party chairman and former President Hussain Ershad has stated that it wishes to leave the Awami League-led Grand Alliance and stand as its own political unity in a new alliance with democratic left and Islamic democratic parties. On 14 September 2017 the Official Chief Election Commissioner had confirmed that the BNP would officially join the election.
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